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Thursday night, the Newark’s Prudential Center turned into a pressure cooker as UFC press conference felt like a brawl waiting to happen. Middleweight champion Khamzat Chimaev and Sean Strickland didn’t just trade insults, they dismantled any shred of professional courtesy left between them. Across a 13-fight card scheduled for Saturday, this main event has moved past sport and into something much darker. Check the main card, live streaming details, and timing for the fight night below.
The two former training partners spent the evening airing personal grievances that crossed into cultural and personal territory. But the verbal vitriol was only the beginning. During the final faceoff, the stage erupted when Chimaev suddenly kicked Strickland in the leg. Security and local police had to scramble to separate the two, ending the night in total chaos. It’s been a nightmare week for UFC staff, who have reportedly been keeping the rivals in different hotels just to ensure the fight actually makes it to the cage.
Strickland (30-7 MMA) was visibly frustrated the entire press conference, screaming throughout at Chimaev (15-0 MMA) about his Russian heritage and how he’s now classified as fighting from the United Arab Emirates. Chimaev, in turn, invoked Strickland’s abusive father and childhood trauma.
“He’s going to be dead in two days,” Chimaev said. ” … I’ll be your daddy in the cage. I’ve been all day, every day, your daddy. You know about it. I’m your daddy. Listen to your daddy.”
UFC CEO Dana White said the rivalry has bad blood, which has made it a top-three rivalry in the promotion’s history.
Unlike Dricus du Plessis, who lost to Chimaev at UFC 319 after Chimaev used a dominant wrestling base, Strickland made one thing clear.
“They don’t want to watch a boring-ass f****** fight,” Strickland said. “I want you to wrestle. I will outwrestle you.”
Strickland described Chimaev’s sparring session against him, which has since resurfaced on social media, as a 2022 “warm-up match” that set Chimaev off.
Hostility aside, Chimaev enters the fight with four submission wins in nine UFC matches. Strickland earned the title shot off a third-round TKO defeat of Anthony Hernandez at UFC Houston in February.
The fight is set as a five-rounder, marking Chimaev’s first title defense while Strickland attempts to regain the title after relinquishing it to du Plessis in January of 2024 at UFC 297.
The co-main event sees a re-booked flyweight title fight between Joshua Van and Tatsuro Taira. The pair were supposed to meet at UFC 327 last month in Miami, Fla., but Van sustained an undisclosed minor injury that shifted the fight to this event.
Van (16-2 MMA) became the new UFC flyweight champion in December at UFC 323, as an arm injury to then-champion Alexandre Pantoja ended the fight after just 26 seconds. He is the first fighter born this century to become a UFC champion, while Taira (18-1 MMA) aims to be the first UFC champion from Japan with a win over Van, who is from Myanmar.
The main card gets underway on Paramount Plus at 9 p.m. ET.
UFC 328 Fight Card:
| Bout | Weight Class | Matchup |
| Main Event | Middleweight | (C) Khamzat Chimaev vs. Sean Strickland |
| Co-Main Event | Flyweight | (C) Joshua Van vs. Tatsuro Taira |
| Main Card | Heavyweight | Alexander Volkov vs. Waldo Cortes-Acosta |
| Main Card | Welterweight | Sean Brady vs. Joaquin Buckley |
| Main Card | Lightweight | King Green vs. Jeremy Stephens |
| Prelims | Bantamweight | Ricky Simon vs. Mario Bautista |
| Prelims | Women’s Strawweight | Virna Jandiroba vs. Loopy Godinez |
| Prelims | Middleweight | Gerald Meerschaert vs. Ihor Potieria |
| Prelims | Featherweight | Movsar Evloev vs. Dan Ige |
| Early Prelims | Lightweight | Terrance McKinney vs. Esteban Ribovics |
| Early Prelims | Flyweight | Matt Schnell vs. Cody Durden |
| Early Prelims | Welterweight | Court McGee vs. Trevin Giles |
| Early Prelims | Bantamweight | Cody Gibson vs. Miles Johns |
UFC 328 LIVE Streaming Details:
When and where is UFC 328 taking place?
UFC 328 is scheduled for Saturday, May 9, 2026, at the Prudential Center in Newark, New Jersey.
What time does the fight start?
The Main Card (Chimaev vs. Strickland) begins:
United States: 9:00 PM ET / 6:00 PM PT (Saturday)
India: 6:30 AM IST (Sunday, May 10)
United Kingdom: 2:00 AM BST (Sunday, May 10)
Where to watch UFC 328 live in India?
Fans in India can watch the live broadcast on Sony Sports Network (Sony Ten 2/3) or stream it via the SonyLIV app.
Where to watch UFC 328 in USA and UK?
United States: The Main Card is available on Paramount Plus. The Prelims can be viewed on ESPN+ and UFC Fight Pass.
United Kingdom: The event will be broadcast live on TNT Sports.
What titles are on the line?
Khamzat Chimaev defends his Middleweight belt against Sean Strickland, and Joshua Van defends his Flyweight title against Tatsuro Taira.
(With inputs from Reuters)
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