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411’s UFC 328 Report: Strickland Wins

May 10, 2026 | Posted by Robert Winfree
UFC 328 Image Credit: UFC

MAIN CARD (9 p.m. ET, Paramount+)
(c) Khamzat Chimaev (185 lbs.) vs. #3 Sean Strickland (185 lbs.) – for middleweight title
(c) Joshua Van (125 lbs.) vs. #3 Tatsuro Taira (125 lbs.) – for flyweight title
#2 Alexander Volkov (257 lbs.) vs. #4 Waldo Cortes-Acosta (264 lbs.)
#6 Sean Brady (170 lbs.) vs. #9 Joaquin Buckley (170 lbs.)
King Green (155 lbs.) vs. Jeremy Stephens (160 lbs.)*

PRELIMINARY CARD (7 p.m. ET, Paramount+)
Ateba Gautier (185 lbs.) vs. Ozzy Diaz (186 lbs.)
Joel Alvarez (170 lbs.) vs. #14 Yaroslav Amosov (170 lbs.)
Grant Dawson (156 lbs.) vs. Mateusz Rebecki (156 lbs.)
Jim Miller (155 lbs.) vs. Jared Gordon (156 lbs.)

PRELIMINARY CARD (5 p.m. ET, Paramount+)
Roman Kopylov (185 lbs.) vs. Marco Tulio (286 lbs.)
Pat Sabatini (145 lbs.) vs. William Gomis (145 lbs.)
Baisangur Susurkaev (186 lbs.) vs. Djorden Santos (186 lbs.)
Clayton Carpenter (126 lbs.) vs. Jose Ochoa (125 lbs.)

Hello everyone and welcome to 411mania’s LIVE coverage of UFC 328, I’m Robert Winfree and I’ll be your host for the event. After a pretty weak series of numbered events the UFC finally seem to have hit one that’s actually got momentum and interest if the prefight numbers are any indicator. In the main event middleweight champion Khamzat Chimaev makes his annual appearance, this time defending the title against former champion Sean Strickland. Oh, if you’ve seen the weigh in video you know Chimaev almost certainly missed weight but no one called him on it, so take that for what it’s worth. Those two have generated some real heat for the fight at least, which has been missing recently. The co-main event is for the flyweight title as newly crowned champion Joshua Van is after his first defense against Tatsuro Taira, in a fun bit of trivia this is the youngest title fight in UFC history as both men are in their 20’s. Taira might make a bit of history here, the UFC still has never had a Japanese champion and he could end that drought here. We’ve also got an intriguing fight between Sean Brady and Joaquin Buckley, and a heavyweight fight with title implications in Alexander Volkov vs. the surging Waldo Cortes-Acosta. There’s a fair amount of fun to be had on this card too, King Green vs. Jeremy Stephens, Ateba Gautier killing a guy, Jim Miller vs. Jared Gordon, and honestly Joel Alvarez vs. Yaroslav Amosov might be the real hit of the undercard. Mateusz Rebecki vs. Grant Dawson should be good, Roman Kopylov is a tad interesting as well. It’s a genuinely solid card overall on paper, now let’s hope the action lives up to the potential.

UFC 328 comes to the world from the Prudential Center in Newark, New Jersey, USA. Jon Anik will be our lead commentator alongside the duo of Joe Rogan and Daniel Cormier. Hopefully Cormier remembers that Taira is Japanese, not Chinese as he kept saying yesterday. How Cormier, an unserious, unprepared, unprofessional waste of time and money remains employed in this position is baffling to me. Bruce Buffer will be handling announcing with Megan Olivi as our roving reporter. New Jersey doesn’t use the newer rules, so no 12-6 elbows and anything but feet on the mat is downed. That’s pathetic. Oh we are also in the usual 30 foot cage.

Clayton Carpenter has gone 2-2 in the UFC but he’s on a two fight losing streak and if he wants to keep his UFC record from dipping below the .500 mark he really needs a win here. Jose Ochoa has gone just 1-2 in the UFC but those losses were to top contenders Lone’er Kavanagh and Asu Almabayev, he’s trying to avoid his first losing streak with a win. The odds lean towards Ochoa at -180 to Carpenter’s +150.

Flyweight Bout: Clayton Carpenter (8-2, 126 lbs.) vs. Jose Ochoa (8-2 1 NC, 125 lbs.)

ROUND ONE: Ochoa has an inch of height and reach advantage. Ochoa pushes forward early and lands body shots. Counter left from Carpenter, both men are stance switching as they move around. Inside leg kicks go back and forth then they trade punches again. Counter right from Ochoa, he’s mostly southpaw now and lands a left to the body. Carpenter might be hurt to the body now. Another left to the body from Ochoa, he’s definitely got Carpenter out of sorts. Carpenter tries a takedown but Ochoa defends then punches him again. Carpenter just keeps getting pushed to the fence over and over again. Both men avoid left hands. Front kick from Ochoa. Another left to the body from Ochoa, he’s looking to start unloading along the fence. Carpenter tries a body kick but he’s not got the firepower necessary to back Ochoa off. They trade calf kicks then Ochoa lands a left hand. They tie up, Carpenter with a few knees to the body as they jockey for position along the fence. They break without incident. Inside calf kick from Carpenter. Ochoa lands another left to the body. Left hand from Ochoa, then a flurry briefly drops Carpenter and Carpenter winds up pulling for a leg attack. Heel hook from Carpenter but he’s got no knee control. Ochoa elbows the calf then hits a hammer fist that busts up Carpenter’s nose. Eventually Ochoa pulls his leg free and they reset. Bit of a flurry from Carpenter. Ochoa avoids a front kick, then lands one of his own to close the round.

SCORECARD: 10-9 Ochoa

ROUND TWO: Both men get back to kicking, let’s see if Ochoa can keep the pace and intensity. Ochoa pushes forward and both men land punches. Front kick from Ochoa, Carpenter lands a jab. Ochoa with a flurry of body blows in close, Carpenter is about to go down from those. They clinch and Carpenter avoids a knee then gets free. Jab from Ochoa. Another jab from Ochoa. Body shot then a jab from Ochoa, Carpenter lands a front kick but he’s falling behind again. Carpenter catches a front kick then slips to the back and jumps the backpack immediately. Ochoa shakes Carpenter over the top, Carpenter tries to get a leg tie up but Ochoa gets free and resets. Counter right from Carpenter then they trade body kicks. A couple more body blows from Ochoa land. Stiff jab from Carpenter to counter a body kick. Ochoa with a body jab, then one upstairs as well. Carpenter with a body kick but eats a counter right hand. Ochoa lands a lovely combination punctuated with a high kick. Another body jab from Ochoa then he avoids a takedown before landing a calf kick. Ochoa lands another left to the body. Carpenter tries to blitz forward but he’s getting cut apart. Spinning elbow from Ochoa mostly lands. Inside leg kicks go back and forth then Ochoa lands a high kick. Carpenter misses a couple of high kicks then Ochoa lands a body blow as the round ends.

SCORECARD: 10-9 Ochoa, 20-18 Ochoa overall

ROUND THREE: Ochoa gets back to forward pressure. Carpenter misses a calf kick. A few jabs go back and forth. Carpenter shows a lot of kicks now. Ochoa with a couple of inside calf kicks. Body jabs from Ochoa then a knee but Carpenter gets a takedown into full guard. Carpenter passes to half guard. Carpenter moves to side control, then tries the back but Ochoa slips free and they reset on the feet. One two from Ochoa. Another one two from Ochoa, he’s able to fight off a single leg after that. Carpenter is still after the level change but Ochoa slips free and punches him. Calf kick from Carpenter. Bit of a spinning elbow from Ochoa as Carpenter tried to move forward. A few jabs from Ochoa land. Carpenter with a high kick that partially lands. More jabs from Ochoa then a couple of calf kicks. Left to the body from Ochoa then a right uppercut. Ochoa lands another jab. Knee from Ochoa against the fence. Combination from Ochoa then a hard left to the body. Carpenter misses a few kicks to close the round.

SCORECARD: 10-9 Ochoa, 30-27 Ochoa overall

OFFICIAL RESULT: †WINNER – Jose Ochoa via unanimous decision (30-27 x3)

Solid outing from Ochoa, he and the translator get an interview. He thanks God then sends love to his team and family for their support and work with him. Asked about his position in the division he feels this was a great fight, puts over Carpenter, and says he’ll fight anyone. To close he again sends love to his soon to be wife and proposes to her back in Brazil.

Baisangur Susurkaev is undefeated including two UFC wins, he’s generated a bit of hype with all that and his boundless personal confidence but needs to keep winning here if he wants to actually make some moves in the division. Djorden Santos has gone 1-1 in the UFC but he is coming off of a win and now looks for his first UFC winning streak. Susurkaev is among the bigger favorites on the card at -800 to a +550 comeback on Santos.

Middleweight Bout: Baisangur Susurkaev (11-0, 186 lbs.) vs. Djorden Santos (11-2, 186 lbs.)

ROUND ONE: Susurkaev is two inches taller with three and a half inches of reach advantage. They touch gloves, Susurkaev does some stance switching early. Front kick from Susurkaev. Susurkaev lands a calf kick, bit of a right hand from Santos. Inside leg kick from Santos. Santos catches a middle kick and throws a couple of rights. Bit of a high kick from Susurkaev. Another inside calf kick from Santos. Susurkaev lands a right hand. Calf kick from Susurkaev. Susurkaev misses a wheel kick. Bit of a left hook from Santos after he avoided a right hand. Susurkaev lands a calf kick. Left hook from Santos. Susurkaev tries a takedown but Santos sprawls then lands an uppercut. There’s a cut around the right eye of Susurkaev. Both men block overhand punches. Santos avoids a few strikes then lands strikes in a clinch. Susurkaev seems a little out of sorts. Bit of an uppercut from Santos. They trade lead hand punches. Santos avoids a high kick then avoids a wheel kick as the round ends.

SCORECARD: 10-9 Susurkaev but could go either way

ROUND TWO: Santos gets back on pressure, jabbing and moving through to smother the kicks of Susurkaev. Susurkaev with a right hand but not much on it. Calf kick from Susurkaev. Santos lands a couple of jabs. Another jab from Santos. Santos with a bit of a combination. Inside calf kick from Susurkaev. Santos lands a right hand. Susurkaev with an uppercut and left hand. They trade a few punches in close. Bit of an uppercut from Santos, he’s just staying busy and forcing Susurkaev to keep a pace that he might not be able to. Susurkaev lands a right hand. Elbow from Santos in close. Susurkaev lands a body kick but he’s getting a bit more labored. Uppercut from Susurkaev then a right to the body. Santos with a few jabs but Susurkaev found energy. They clinch then break. Susurkaev misses a couple of spinning attacks. They tie up again and Santos pushes things to the fence. Santos breaks cleanly and they just reset. Left hand from Santos. Susurkaev lands a calf kick. Santos falls a little short with a combination. Uppercuts then an elbow from Santos in close. They trade in close again. Rights go back and forth. Santos lands a stiff left hook. Right hand from Santos after they traded elbows, Santos is cut on the forehead as the round ends.

SCORECARD: 10-9 Susurkaev but another close one, 20-18 Susurkaev overall

ROUND THREE: Santos looks to punch his way in close. Susurkaev misses a spinning back kick. Bit of a spinning elbow from Susurkaev. Santos with a left to the body, he should have been on that earlier. Both men are using elbows in the pocket now. Susurkaev lands a calf kick. They split a few jabs. Short uppercuts from Santos. Susurkaev lands a front kick then gets to the back in a clinch. Susurkaev declines to throw legal knees when Santos only had a hand down. Santos gets free and they trade uppercuts. Right hand from Susurkaev. Santos with a few jabs. Both men land in close again. Susurkaev tries a takedown, settles for a clinch on the fence. Santos has a front headlock going and things stall out. Eventually Susurkaev gets a takedown into the ride. Choke attack from Susurkaev as he gets the back, Santos doesn’t tap but does go out.

OFFICIAL RESULT: †WINNER – Baisangur Susurkaev via Technical Submission, rear naked choke, at 4:12 of Round 3

The Final Round Finish Club thanks Mr. Susurkaev for his work. Mic time for Susurkaev and the translator, he promises to keep getting better. To close he thanks Santos for the fight.

Pat Sabatini has gone 8-2 in the UFC but he’s on a three fight winning streak and if he can get to four in a row here it could set him up to take aim at ranked opponents next. William Gomis has gone 5-1 in the UFC with that lone loss being a controversial split decision, he’s coming off of a win though and if he can beat Sabatini here he could be the one looking at ranked opponents going forward. The odds are with Sabatini at -155 to +130 for Gomis.

Middleweight Bout: Pat Sabatini (21-5, 145 lbs.) vs. William Gomis (15-3, 145 lbs.)

ROUND ONE: Gomis is four inches taller with three inches of reach advantage. Southpaw for Gomis. Sabatini does a little bit o stance switching while moving around. Single leg from Sabatini, that hits the fence though. Gomis avoids fully being taken down but Sabatini slips to his back. A few lefts from Sabatini but nothing serious. Eventually Sabatini hops for the backpack but doesn’t keep it. Gomis gets chest to chest again, Sabatini tries to level change but he’s not getting much going. Sabatini slips to the back again but again nothing is really coming of this. Sabatini misses a few rights, he actually punched the cage a few times there. Gomis gets chest to chest again and Sabatini tries a high crotch but he’s still not finding anything. Elbows from Gomis, Sabatini technically gets Gomis to a knee but nothing comes of it as the round ends.

SCORECARD: 10-9 Sabatini I guess

ROUND TWO: Sabatini misses punches and kicks backing up Gomis. Gomis lands a punch but Sabatini gets a clinch and grabs at a front headlock. Gomis gets his head free, Sabatini tries a high crotch again but again can’t really finish it. Eventually Sabatini gets a lift but can’t secure position and just gets to the back in another clinch. Gomis gets chest to chest briefly but Sabatini slips to the back again. Eventually Gomis slips free and avoids a takedown attempt. Gomis jabs the body then lands a front kick. Bit of a combination from Gomis then a body kick. Sabatini avoids a high kick but his striking is not landing. Jab from Gomis, Sabatini then forces a clinch to the fence. Sabatini tries to level change, Gomis lands a few elbows. Gomis slips free with 18 seconds left. They clash on kicks then Gomis lands a couple punches just as the round ends.

SCORECARD: 10-9 Gomis as Sabatini did basically no damage, 19-19 overall

ROUND THREE: Gomis moves forward this round, and they clash on kicks. Jab from Gomis. Sabatini tries a single leg, Gomis sprawls free then lands an elbow. They trade punches. Sabatini misses a high kick. Bit of a high kick from Gomis, there’s some swelling under Sabatini’s left eye from an earlier elbow. Sabatini pushes into a clinch on the fence yet again. The ref really should be getting involved in these positions because it’s just kind of stalling out. Sabatini is still trying a single leg, Gomis is defending and lands a knee. Sabatini does get Gomis down to his seat against the fence. Gomis immediately wall walks and Sabatini holds his back. Finally the ref gives a little bit of a warning. A few more of those then he might make a serious warning. Short elbow from Gomis. Gomis fights off a takedown, lands a few punches then they finally break. Bit of a right hand from Sabatini closes the round.

SCORECARD: 10-9 Sabatini I guess, 29-28 Sabatini overall

OFFICIAL RESULT: †WINNER – Pat Sabatini via unanimous decision (29-28, 30-27 x2)

Well that fight sucked, no interview for Sabatini.

Roman Kopylov has gone just 6-5 in the UFC and is on a two fight losing streak, he had showed some promise a couple years back and now badly needs to get back on the winning side of things. Marco Tulio has gone 2-1 in the UFC, he’s coming off of a loss to Christian Leroy Duncan that ended a 10 fight winning streak, now he’s looking to get back on the winning side and avoid his first losing streak. Tulio closed at -180 to +150 on Kopylov.

Middleweight Bout: Roman Kopylov (14-5, 185 lbs.) vs. Marco Tulio (14-2, 286 lbs.)

ROUND ONE: These two are the same height while Kopylov has half an inch of reach advantage. Kopylov is fighting southpaw and works his way forward early. Tulio is looking to line up a right hand. Both men probe with inside calf kicks. Right to the body from Tulio. Kopylov jabs the body. Jab from Tulio then Kopylov lands a body kick. Tulio falls a hair short with some looping rights. Kopylov lands a body kick. Bit of a combination from Kopylov in close. Tulio lands a right hand. Right to the body from Tulio. Left hand from Kopylov. Tulio lands a right to the body. Glancing head kick from Tulio. Kopylov looks to punch forward but neither man lands much. Bit of a left to the body from Kopylov. Kopylov nearly lands a head kick but then does land a one two. Tulio lands a right to the body. Tulio lands a jab. Bit of a knee from Kopylov then an elbow, Tulio returns fire against the fence as the round ends.

SCORECARD: 10-9 Tulio

ROUND TWO: They touch gloves again. Hard right hook from Kopylov, that bothered Tulio for a second. Bit of a one two from Kopylov, he seems to have figured something out to start this round. Kopylov fires a body kick, partially blocked. Calf kick from Tulio. Tulio with a few punches. Tulio misses a right hand. Right hand from Tulio. Kopylov again fires a body kick that’s mostly blocked. There’s a cut around the right eye of Kopylov, can’t see where specifically but it’s very visibly bleeding. Left hand from Kopylov. Tulio lands a jab. Right hook from Kopylov but he doesn’t follow up. Inside leg kick from Tulio. Tulio lands a right hand. That eye of Kopylov is a problem, but he catches Tulio with a one two that floors him. Kopylov with follow ups, Tulio gets dropped again but is able to tie up along the fence. Very poor decision from Kopylov, he’s just holding onto a clinch when he had a real chance to finish things. That’s where the round ends.

SCORECARD: 10-9 Kopylov, 19-19 overall

ROUND THREE: OK, that cut on Kopylov’s eye is pretty bad, it’s under the brow and just above the eyelid and it’s pretty big. Kopylov with a quick series of lefts to start the round and he drops Tulio again. Tulio fights up but gets hit again then Kopylov with a trip to land on top in half guard. Some punches from Kopylov but Tulio gets full guard and closes it. A few body punches from Kopylov but nothing serious. Tulio wall walks into a clinch then they separate. Kopylov with a body kick. Right from Kopylov as Tulio tried to jab. Again Kopylov with a counter right hook. Tulio lands a right hand. Kopylov fires another body kick. Left hand from Kopylov. Tulio blocks a high kick then misses a right hand. Kopylov avoids a spinning back kick. Bit of a calf kick from Tulio. Kopylov lands another body kick then has a head kick blocked. They trade in close, Tulio then misses a few spinning attacks before they swing punches in the pocket as the round ends.

SCORECARD: 10-9 Kopylov, 29-28 Kopylov overall

OFFICIAL RESULT: †WINNER – Roman Kopylov via unanimous decision (29-28 x3)

No interview for Kopylov but a nice rebound from him after a tough first round.

Jim Miller has been around forever, specifically his UFC debut was back in 2008 and he’s got more than a few records to his name including most wins in UFC history, most fights in UFC history, most finishes in UFC lightweight history, and a few others. With all that history behind him Miller is definitely closing in on the end of his fighting run, but he’s 3-3 in his last six and is looking to get closer to win number 40 here. Jared Gordon has gone 2-2 with a No Contest in his last five fights, he most recently got stopped by Rafa Garcia but he’s trying to avoid his first losing streak since 2018 with a win over the respected Miller. The odds are with Gordon at -280 while +230 on Miller might tempt a few bettors out there.

Lightweight Bout: Jim Miller (38-19 1 NC, 155 lbs.) vs. Jared Gordon (21-8 1 NC, 156 lbs.)

ROUND ONE: Gordon is an inch taller while Miller has three inches of reach advantage, Miller’s only 5 years older but he’s hit 42 so it adds up quicker at that point. Southpaw for Miller. Miller lands a couple of lefts, Gordon is a tad bothered but they clinch up. Nothing comes of it and they break then Gordon fires a body kick. Inside leg kick from Miller, that might have gone to the groin but Gordon ignores it at first when he gets a takedown but Miller quickly gets back up and then Gordon needs the time. Replay shows the kick was low. Gordon takes 1:20 then we’re back to fighting. Miller gets back to moving forward, both men land power hand punches. Bit of a body kick from Miller. Gordon lands a left hook. Right hook from Miller then a body kick but Gordon with a takedown, Miller grabs a guillotine on the way down though. Miller has full guard and goes for the guillotine, Gordon tries to fight free but Miller keeps it tight and Gordon has to tap.

OFFICIAL RESULT: †WINNER – Jim Miller via Submission, guillotine choke, at 3:29 of Round 1

The First Round Finish Club thanks Mr. Miller for his work. Mic time for Miller, Rogan brings up Miller being in the UFC for 18 years and he’s very happy with this win and to get it in front of his family is amazing. His son has been fighting cancer and beat it, and puts over his son for beating cancer and he says this was nothing next to that. He talks us through the finish and puts over Gordon to close.

Grant Dawson has a stellar UFC record of 11-2-1 but his lack of momentum despite that is pretty telling about his style. Dawson is coming off of a loss to Manuel Torres which has called his chin into question, and now he’s trying to avoid his first losing streak. Mateusz Rebecki has gone 4-3 in the UFC and is on a two fight losing streak, his generally exciting style will keep him around even with some losses but if he wants to actually make a move he’ll need to halt this skid with a win. Given the stylistic clash it’s not surprising that Dawson is the -140 favorite to Rebecki’s +120 comeback.

Lightweight Bout: Grant Dawson (21-3-1, 156 lbs.) vs. Mateusz Rebecki (20-4, 156 lbs.)

ROUND ONE: Dawson is three inches taller with a significant six inches of reach advantage. Southpaw for Rebecki who moves forward early. Head kick from Dawson, Rebecki then clinches but Dawson lands knees to the body before they break. Rebecki catches a knee and hits a takedown, Dawson immediately rolls through to grab a chest wrap and fire a knee before moving to the ride. The flow of Dawson on the mat is still impressive. Dawson gets to the back with a body triangle, Rebecki stands with help from the fence and Dawson has the backpack now. Rebecki is cut around the left eyebrow, I think from that first head kick. Dawson grabs at the choke, Rebecki is defending so far though and Dawson bails on it to land a few punches. Rebecki is trying to quadpod and shake Dawson but Dawson is just stuck to him and wont be moved yet. Rebecki eventually spins into Dawson and sort of gets on top, they’re against the fence though and Dawson quickly wall walks as Rebecki slips to his back. Some rights from Rebecki land. Dawson eats an uppercut but is able to slip free. Body kick from Dawson. Hard cut kick from Rebecki then a bit of a left hand as the round ends.

SCORECARD: 10-9 Dawson

ROUND TWO: Dawson shows kicks again as the round starts. Right from Dawson but Rebecki counters with a right hook that drops Dawson, Rebecki slips to the ride and looks for more punches as Dawson stands. Rebecki holds the back as they hit the fence. A few knees to the leg from Rebecki. Dawson is able to get free and they reset. Dawson misses an ugly wheel kick. Rebecki catches a high kick then lands an uppercut in close. Bit of a left from Rebecki. Dawson lands an inside calf kick then a knee in close. Bit of a right from Rebecki. Again Rebecki with the right hook, Dawson keeps walking into that on a straight line. Inside calf kick from Rebecki. Rebecki with a left hand. Dawson keeps walking into that right hand. Rebecki avoids a takedown. Stiff jab from Rebecki then they trade in close. Rebecki’s right hook just keeps landing. Dawson pushes into a clinch and they hit the fence. Knee from Dawson then Rebecki gets free. Rebecki catches a high kick and then kicks Dawson down, he grabs a front headlock and holds it for the last seconds of the round.

SCORECARD: 10-9 Rebecki, 19-19 overall

ROUND THREE: Again Rebecki catches a high kick and kicks Dawson down but Dawson wrestles up and gets the back on the mat. Body triangle for Dawson and he’s working control while trying to attack a choke. Face crank from Dawson but Rebecki just kind of rides it out until he bails on it. Still more control from Dawson, not much damage but he’s bleeding the clock and occasionally trying to attack the neck. A few short punches land for Dawson, nothing really on them. Rebecki nearly gets on top but Dawson adjusts and lands a really short elbow. Dawson half tries an arm in rear naked choke but his arms aren’t long enough to really make it work. It takes a second but Dawson does adjust to a regular rear naked choke and after a second or two gets the tap.

OFFICIAL RESULT: †WINNER – Grant Dawson via Submission, rear naked choke, at 4:42 of Round 3

The Final Round Finish Club thanks Mr. Dawson for his work. Mic time for Dawson, he thanks his team first then his family and everyone who got him ready. Then he thanks God and does some preaching. Next he says he’s glad to have shown he was tough before talking us through the finish, specifically the variation of the RNC he used.

This particular grip to finish the choke is pretty gnarly.

Joel Alvarez has gone 8-2 in the UFC and is on a four fight winning streak, he moved up to welterweight recently as the lightweight cut was just becoming too much but if he can get another win here it’ll fully establish him as a player in his new division. Yaroslav Amosov is a former Bellator welterweight champion and his only loss was to Jason Jackson, Amosov debuted in the UFC last year with a quick submission win over veteran Neil Magny and if he can take out a younger talent like Alvarez it’ll start moving him up the rankings fairly quickly. Amosov is the favorite at -190 to +160 on Alvarez.

Welterweight Bout: Joel Alvarez (23-3, 170 lbs.) vs. #14 Yaroslav Amosov (29-1, 170 lbs.)

ROUND ONE: Alvarez is three inches taller with two inches of reach advantage. They touch gloves to get things going. Some feinting from both men. Amosov probes with a few low kicks, nothing serious though. They split jabs then Amosov lands a left hook. Alvarez punches in close, Amosov gets a takedown into half guard. Amosov stifles a few get ups then lands a couple of left hands. Arm triangle attack from Amosov, Alvarez is able to block that one though. They scoot to the fence, Alvarez looks to wall walk, he’s up but Amosov has a standing arm triangle attack. Amosov slips to the back as Alvarez defends the choke. Mat return from Amosov then a right hand. Alvarez gets to a knee against the fence then wall walks but he can’t get away from Amosov. Amosov trips Alvarez down and Alvarez has to work to wall walk with Amosov on his back. Another takedown from Amosov and he resumes working from the ride. Alvarez keeps getting up but he can’t get away. Amosov to the back standing again, he’s tripping Alvarez over and over again and slowly wearing him down. Left hands from Amosov land. Mat return from Amosov, he stands over the downed Alvarez then helps him stand after the round ends.

SCORECARD: 10-9 Amosov

ROUND TWO: Amosov back to bouncing and circling. Both men fire some punches in close. Bit of a right hand then head kick from Amosov. Amosov lands a right hand but Alvarez just eats it and throws a combination back. Single leg into a high elevation mat return from Amosov into an arm triangle choke, that’s deep already and Alvarez has to tap.

OFFICIAL RESULT: †WINNER – Yaroslav Amosov via Submission, arm triangle choke, at 1:13 of Round 2

Mic time for Amosov and the translator after that impressive win, he plays with the crowd a bit then thanks the UFC and feels this was a great fight but he could do better as his movement was a little compromised. He likes wrestling but is a fighter and can do everything and calls MMA the best sport. He asks for a ranked opponent next, preferably in the top 10. To close he thanks his team and family then wishes his mother a happy birthday before sending love to Ukraine and the USA.

The do a package for Thomas Gerbasi who passed away last year, and will induct him into the Contributor’s wing of the Hall of Fame.

Ateba Gautier is on a nine fight winning streak including four UFC wins, he’s been looking like the next big prospect at middleweight and needs another solid performance here to show off his improvements and keep moving up the ladder. Ozzy Diaz has gone 1-1 in the UFC but is coming off of a win and now looks to spring a major upset. Gautier is the biggest favorite on the card at -1400 while +700 for Diaz will likely tempt a few of the more degenerate gamblers out there.

Middleweight Bout: Ateba Gautier (10-1, 185 lbs.) vs. Ozzy Diaz (10-3, 186 lbs.)

ROUND ONE: These two are the same height while Gautier has two inches of reach advantage and is 11 years younger. They touch gloves to get things going. Both men show the jab while moving around, they’re just looking for reads. Diaz blocks a few punches. Gautier lands a calf kick. Right uppercut from Gautier. A lot of movement from Diaz so far, he’s definitely not wanting to just trade with Gautier. Bit of a high kick from Gautier, Diaz blocked most of that. Both men miss one twos, Diaz tries a single leg but settles for a clinch on the fence. Gautier with some takedown defense then lands an elbow and a knee as they break. Bit of a right hand from Gautier. Diaz shows the jab now. Gautier with a calf kick. Bit of a left hook from Gautier. Gautier with a body kick. Diaz has done a decent job with his jab, he tries a single leg but settles for a clinch on the back. They hit the fence and Gautier fights the grip as the round ends.

SCORECARD: 10-9 Gautier but a close one

ROUND TWO: Both men back to showing the jab. Bit of a head kick from Gautier. Diaz throws a right then blocks an uppercut. Hard intercepting right hand from Gautier drops Diaz and that’ll end things.

OFFICIAL RESULT: †WINNER – Ateba Gautier via KO, punches, at 1:10 of Round 2

Mic time for Gautier after that one, he is happy but knows he can still grow and do better. He’s been working with his team on improving and then talks us through the finish and gives more credit to his coaches. Asked about the future he says his dream fight is against Israel Adesanya, he admires Adesanya and wants that fight. To close he sends Birthday wishes for a few people.

King Green has been around forever, most recently he’s riding a two fight winning streak and despite his longevity is still looking to prove he’s a valuable addition to the roster. Jeremy Stephens has been bouncing around boxing and bare knuckle stuff for a bit, his last MMA fight was a loss to Mason Jones a little over a year ago. In fact his last MMA win was way back in 2022 in the PFL, he’s trying to end that drought with a win here but missing weight likely didn’t help his standing with the UFC this week. After that weight miss it’s not surprising the odds heavily like Green at -420 to +310 for Stephens.

Lightweight Bout: King Green (34-17-1 1 NC, 155 lbs.) vs. Jeremy Stephens (29-22 1 NC, 160 lbs.)*

ROUND ONE: Green is an inch taller while the reach is identical, plus Stephens pretty badly missed weight of course. Southpaw for Green, he opens with some side kicks to the leg. Stephens misses a right hand. Left to the body from Green. A few front kicks from Green. Both men miss lefts. Body kick from Green then Stephens grabs a clinch on the fence. Elbow from Stephens in close as they break. Green lands another body kick. Left hand from Green, then another one stuns Stephens. Green starts to unload then fires a body kick that goes low so we’ve got a time out which likely will save Stephens. Replay confirms the low blow. Stephens takes 1:22 then we’re back to fighting. No point deduction but Green got a serious warning. Side kick from Green, then a left hand. Short right from Green then a body kick. Stephens misses a right hand and Green double legs him down into full guard. Green postures up and unloads with punches and a few elbows. Half guard now for Green as he keeps throwing elbows. Stephens thinks about a kimura, Green just passes to side control and gets his arm back then drops more elbows. Green gets the back, grabs a choke and forces the tap.

OFFICIAL RESULT: †WINNER – King Green via Submission, rear naked choke, at 4:20 of Round 1

The First Round Finish Club thanks Mr. Green for his work. Mic time for Green, he talks to the UFC brass and says he’s one of the most exciting men to ever fight in the UFC and is annoyed he didn’t get a bonus last time and he really wants one here. I mean I’d bonus him but there’s some stiff competition tonight. He might get tapped out or stopped on occasion, but he’s like Michael Meyers and you can’t actually kill him.

They announce former middleweight champion Chris Weidman for the UFC Hall of Fame. Weidman is probably the third best middleweight champion in the UFC’s history behind only Anderson Silva and Israel Adesanya if we’re talking overall resumes. No issues with him going into the Hall of Fame.

Sean Brady has gone 8-2 in the UFC, he’s shown a lot of grappling ability and strength but his striking has been a pretty big weakness. The man got TKO’d by Belal Muhammad for crying out loud. Most recently Brady was bludgeoned in short order by Micahel Morales, and now if Brady wants to get into the title picture he must win this fight. Joaquin Buckley just had a six fight winning streak broken by Kamaru Usman, now he’s trying to avoid a losing streak and retain position around the title picture. The odds have swung wildly in the last day, Buckley went from a non-trivial dog to a -230 favorite to Brady’s +190 comeback. The odds moved so much I’m a little surprised they let the fight happen.

Welterweight Bout: #6 Sean Brady (18-2, 170 lbs.) vs. #9 Joaquin Buckley (21-7, 170 lbs.)

ROUND ONE: These two are the same height while Buckley has four inches of reach advantage. Southpaw for Buckley. Both men work the lead hand as they move around. Left hand from Brady into a clinch but he can’t keep it as Buckley spins free. Buckley sprawls away from a takedown attempt. Bit of a left from Brady. Leg kick from Buckley but it was naked and Brady immediately runs him over and gets on top in half guard. A few strikes from Brady and he passes to full mount. More punches from Brady, Buckley is trying to move but Brady is all over him. Brady switches to half guard and starts attacking an arm or neck, just trying to open up attacks. Buckley is trying to defend a kimura, Brady goes back to side control and is still working the double wrist lock. Brady loses the grip but keeps side control. The round ends with Brady on top.

SCORECARD: 10-9 Brady, borderline 10-8

ROUND TWO: Brady misses a head kick and spinning back fist. Buckley misses a left hand. Brady smothers a side kick, gets to the back standing then hits a mat return. Brady into side control right away as Buckley tries to roll. Bit of a hammer fist from Brady as Buckley shrimps to half guard. Brady into full mount with ease, his passing game is great anyway and Buckley has very little defensively here. Some punches from Brady land as he’s trying to set up an arm triangle. Buckley is able to buck repeatedly and finally escapes to his feet. Pretty quick takedown from Brady as Buckley tried to kick, Brady is back in half guard. Brady moves back to mount and lands punches. Hammer fists from Brady, not much getting through but he’s staying active. Brady keeps throwing, these aren’t super damaging but Buckley has to deal with it eventually. Now Brady gets a few elbows to land. Another elbow from Brady before the round ends.

SCORECARD: 10-8 Brady, 20-17 Brady overall

ROUND THREE: Brady circles and lands an inside calf kick. Buckley fights off a single leg. Brady tries another one, then switches to a double leg against the fence and winds up on top in half guard. Some short punches from Brady as he passes to full mount. Buckley shrimps to half guard but he’s unable to get up. Brady moves back to mount with more punches. Buckley back to half guard, Brady then threatens a guillotine and switches towards a kimura attack then passes back to mount. A few more punches from Brady, then a few elbows as well. Brady just keeps throwing strikes as the round ends.

SCORECARD: 10-9 Brady but could be 10-8 again, 30-26 Brady overall

OFFICIAL RESULT: †WINNER – Sean Brady via unanimous decision (30-27, 30-25 x2)

Not giving Brady a single 10-8 is ridiculous. Mic time for Brady after that win, he says he wasn’t mentally in the Morales fight but he was ready for this and feels this should put him back in the top 5. He talks about his mental lock in and then reiterates he’s a top 5 welterweight before giving love to his family.

Alexander Volkov has been among the better heavyweights in the world since 2013 or so, his UFC run has been close to the title at several points but he’s always seemed to stumble at the last step. Either losing to a hail Mary comeback from Derrick Lewis or being on the wrong end of a dubious decision to Ciryl Gane he’s always just a step away from the top. Volkov is looking to get to the title picture yet again with a win here. Waldo Cortes-Acosta has gone 10-2 in the UFC and is on a three fight winning streak, if he can get by Volkov here it would put him very close to the title. That’s assuming the heavyweight title picture ever actually gets sorted out of course. The veteran Volkov closed somewhat surprisingly as the -135 favorite while +115 on Cortes-Acosta has to be driving some action.

Heavyweight Bout: #2 Alexander Volkov (39-11, 257 lbs.) vs. #4 Waldo Cortes-Acosta (17-2, 264 lbs.)

ROUND ONE: Volkov is three inches taller with two inches of reach advantage. Volkov with some front kicks and calf kicks as he circles. Inside leg kick then a body kick from Volkov. Bit of a jab from Cortes-Acosta. Another calf kick from Volkov. Volkov keeps showing kicks and staying long, he lands an inside leg kick. Cortes-Acosta falls short with some punches, he doesn’t have a feel for the range yet. Volkov with another calf kick. Cortes-Acosta lunges into a left hand. Body jab from Cortes-Acosta and Volkov lands a jab. Another calf kick from Volkov, then another. Cortes-Acosta just can’t get a feel for the range and he misses a few punches. Body kick from Volkov. Jab from Cortes-Acosta but he misses the follow up right hand. Left from Cortes-Acosta but Volkov fires back and gets him to back off. Volkov lands another calf kick. Another body kick from Volkov. Cortes-Acosta misses a right hand but does follow up with a left. Another few calf kicks from Volkov land to close the round.

SCORECARD: 10-9 Volkov but a close one

ROUND TWO: Cortes-Acosta is able to partially land a right hand. Jabs go back and forth as they move around. Volkov avoids a right hand and lands an elbow in close. Inside leg kick from Volkov. Cortes-Acosta with a right hand, Volkov then lands a body kick. Volkov just keeps chipping away with kicks and bother Cortes-Acosta without over committing. Cortes-Acosta misses a few punches. Both men show low kicks then Volkov lands a one two combination. Body kick from Volkov, Cortes-Acosta didn’t like that one. They split jabs again. Cortes-Acosta tries to incite a brawl but Volkov isn’t that silly. A left hook from Volkov hurts Cortes-Acosta, Cortes-Acosta backs up and they trade rights. Another jab from Volkov then an inside leg kick. Cortes-Acosta with jabs to get Volkov to back up. Volkov lands another jab. Body kick from Volkov. Cortes-Acosta lands a leg kick of his own but he’s way behind on volume. Volkov with another body kick then a head kick that mostly lands. Right hand from Volkov then an inside leg kick. Cortes-Acosta lands a leg kick. Volkov with another body kick. Volkov blocks a few punches then lands a couple of jabs. Another leg kick from Volkov then a well timed inside one, and a body kick to close the round.

SCORECARD: 10-9 Volkov, 20-18 Volkov overall

ROUND THREE: Volkov circles again and avoids some kicks. Body kick from Volkov. A little stance switching from Volkov now but he’s mostly orthodox still. Cortes-Acosta misses a leg kick. Inside leg kick from Volkov, Cortes-Acosta then pokes him in the eye so we’ve got a time out. Volkov only takes a couple of seconds then we’re back to fighting as replay shows there was an eye poke. Cortes-Acosta comes out swinging, he wants a brawl. Volkov lands a jab then a body kick. Those body kicks are bothering Cortes-Acosta now and his eye is swelling up from that Volkov jab. Volkov with another body kick but his nose is visibly leaking. Inside leg kicks from Volkov then a jab. Hard body kick from Volkov but Cortes-Acosta lands a counter right. Jab from Cortes-Acosta. Volkov shows the head kick again. Right uppercut from Cortes-Acosta then Volkov hits the body. Inside leg kick from Volkov then he fights off a takedown and pushes Cortes-Acosta into the fence. They jockey for position then break with a knee from Cortes-Acosta. Volkov lands a body kick. Bit of a right from Cortes-Acosta. A few jabs go back and forth then Volkov lands a calf kick. Volkov land a jab then avoids a right hand. Cortes-Acosta avoids a head kick. Front kick from Volkov then a one two. Volkov lands another calf kick, that one bothered Cortes-Acosta a bit. Cortes-Acosta misses some punches. Volkov avoids a few more punches then lands a side kick. They trade in close but Volkov avoids a right hand. Cortes-Acosta misses a right hand, he wants a big finish but wont find it before the round ends.

SCORECARD: 10-9 Cortes-Acosta but another close one, 29-28 Volkov overall but watch them screw him yet again

OFFICIAL RESULT: †WINNER – Alexander Volkov via unanimous decision (30-27, 29-28 x2)

Mic time for Volkov after finally getting a big win, he opens with a message for his Russian people as they celebrate winning World War II today. He wanted the finish but Cortes-Acosta is very tough and strong so he had to manage the danger. Now he wants a title shot as he’s been this close for a very long time, feels he beat Ciryl Gane and Pereira is an interloper, he wants to prove he’s the best heavyweight in the world. He doesn’t care who he fights as long as it’s for a belt.

Tatsuro Taira brings a two fight winning streak into his first title shot, he’s looking to become the first Japanese champion in UFC history and then start establishing his own title legacy. Joshua Van made his professional debut in 2021, his ascent has been pretty wild when you look at how quick it’s been, and he closed last year winning the flyweight title from Alexandre Pantoja. The method of victory, a freak elbow injury to Pantoja on a takedown, does cast a little bit of doubt on his title but if he can get a decisive defense here that’ll go a long way to legitimizing his reign. The odds like the challenger Taira at -160 to +135 for Van.

Flyweight Title Bout: (c) Joshua Van (16-2, 125 lbs.) vs. #3 Tatsuro Taira (18-1, 125 lbs.)

ROUND ONE: Taira is two inches taller with five inches of reach advantage. Also as noted above, this is the youngest title fight in UFC history, 26 on Taira to 24 on Van. They touch gloves to get things going. Taira shows some jabs then lands a calf kick. Van looks to move into punching range. Another calf kick from Taira then he shoots a double leg, that hits the fence but he’s able to finish a body lock takedown into full mount. That was a heck of a transition from Taira. Van looks to hip escape and gets one butterfly hook in but he took punches to do it. Taira passes to side control. Van scrambles to a knee, Taira grabs a front headlock and knees him then rides him back down to his seat. Van wall walks but eats a punch as they break. Jab from Taira. Van with a double jab then a right hand. They trade a few jabs, Van has to blink out his right eye after that. Jabs keep going back and forth as they move around. Another takedown from Taira against the fence and he mounts the legs. Taira keeps Van seated against the fence, not much in the way of striking yet. Van is able to wall walk into a clinch. Knee from Taira then some heel kicks to the calf. Inside trip from Taira and he’s back on top and into mount. This time Taira lands an elbow and a few punches as Van scrambles up and free then the round ends.

SCORECARD: 10-9 Taira

ROUND TWO: Both men back to jabbing and moving. Jab from Taira, then Van lands a calf kick. Taira tries a takedown, that hits the fence though and Taira looks to keep the attack going. Knee from Taira on the break then a right hand. Taira with a jab then they trade punches. Van lands a right hand. Jab from Van. Combination from Van. Darting combination from Taira then he hits a trip takedown again nearly into full mount. Taira moves to full mount with relative ease. Van looks to move on the mat and gets back to butterfly guard. Some elbows from the bottom by Van. Taira passes back to full mount, he just needs to get some offense going here. Van bucks and shrimps to half guard. Taira wraps the head, grabs a front headlock but bails on it as they stand. Right hand from Van floors Taira, he gets on top in full guard but Taira is able to tie him up. Rubber guard for Taira, he’ll survive as the round ends.

SCORECARD: 10-9 Van, 19-19 overall

ROUND THREE: Van gets on forward pressure right away and both men show jabs. Taira fails on a takedown attempt. A few jabs go back and forth now as they circle. Van lands a right hand, the hand speed in his favor is becoming more obvious as the fight goes on. Uppercut from Van in close. Taira reaches for a takedown but Van shoves him away. Van digs the body in close quarters. Jabs go back and forth but Van has more pop. They trade in close then Taira lands a calf kick. Van defends a takedown and lands a knee to the head. Flurry from Van but Taira fights back for now. Van lands an uppercut. Taira’s in serious trouble now, he just doesn’t move his head. Van with a few punches that get Taira to sink to the mat. Van gets on top and unloads, Taira fights upright though. Mat return from Van into the ride, he gets the back and grabs at a choke. Taira hand fights though and Van bails on that attempt. Van’s choking mechanics aren’t great but he keeps going for it. Taira fights free, miraculously, and escapes to his feet. Short left hook from Taira then a jab. Van lands a right hand. Taira’s face is a mess. Van avoids a single leg. They split jabs again but that’s a losing proposition for Taira. Bit of a flurry from Taira then he tries a double leg, that hits the fence and he has to settle for a clinch. Taira is able to ride Van down to a knee and lands short punches. Van wall walks into a clinch, Taira takes him back down into side control. Taira’s toughness is insane, he knees Van as Van escapes and they end the round with an exchange of jabs.

SCORECARD: 10-9 Van, 29-28 Van overall

ROUND FOUR: Both men again come out looking to jab. Calf kick from Taira, that bothered Van. Taira comes forward with uppercuts, Van punches back then Taira shoots into a clinch. Takedown from Taira into butterfly guard. Taira passes to mount the legs and he hits the body a few times. Van tries to get his butterfly guard back but Taira passes it to full mount now. Shoulder strikes from Taira. Taira is looking to attack an arm, he lands punches as Van tries to bridge but also smothers the effort. Taira is kind of after a stockade position but isn’t hooking an arm. Van is able to buck, nearly gets caught in a triangle choke but gets free and resets on the feet. More jabs go back and forth then Taira lands a calf kick. Right hand from Van, he’s looking to get going with the hands now. They split a few jabs. Calf kick from Taira then a front kick and a jab. Van lands a few jabs. Taira shoots, gets things to the fence and they clinch up. They break and trade punches as the round ends.

SCORECARD: 10-9 Taira, 38-38 overall

ROUND FIVE: They touch gloves for the final round. Immediately jabs go back and forth then Taira lands a right hand. Van with a right hand then they trade jabs again. Right hand from Van. They both land punches, Taira then shoots to a clinch on the fence. Van is able to spin free this time and reset. Both men with combinations then Taira lands a knee and Van rips the body. Taira shoots again, Van sprawls and resets with punches. Front kick and jab from Van. Taira’s hurt, Van unloads and Taira drops a bit against the fence which will prompt the stoppage.

OFFICIAL RESULT: †WINNER – and STILL UFC Flyweight Champion Joshua Van via TKO, punches, at 1:32 of Round 5

The Final Round Finish Club thanks Mr. Van for his work. Mic time for Van after that fairly wild fight, he thanks God then puts over Taira’s toughness before thanking his coaches for advice. He talks us through the finish then talks about the Burmese fans. Asked about a rematch with former champion Alexandre Pantoja he says they can run it back.

Sean Strickland is a former middleweight champion, he won the title in a shocking upset over Israel Adesanya back in 2023 and has been a bit up and down since. He lost the title to Dricus du Plessis then failed in a rematch with him, but coming off of one of his best performances he’s getting another crack at the belt. Strickland would be springing another serious upset and would become just the second man to regain the middleweight title after losing it. Khamzat Chimaev is the middleweight champion, he won the title in August of last year and now finally gets around to defending it. Chimaev is undefeated and is making some noise about moving up to light heavyweight, and if he can get by Strickland in impressive fashion it would help ease that transition. Chimaev is a pretty heavy favorite at -490 to Strickland’s +360 comeback.

Middleweight Title Bout: (c) Khamzat Chimaev (15-0, 185 lbs.) vs. #3 Sean Strickland (30-7, 185 lbs.)

ROUND ONE: Chimaev is an inch taller while Strickland has an inch of reach advantage. They touch gloves. Chimaev shows a few kicks. Quick takedown from Chimaev against the fence. Strickland sits on the fence and throws a few strikes from underneath. Chimaev moves to the ride position. Back take from Chimaev and he’s got the ankles crossed with both hooks in. Strickland slowly works back to a knee, Chimaev back to the ride. Both hooks again for Chimaev and he rides things back to the mat. Strickland breaks the hooks briefly but Chimaev is content to hold. Strickland scrambles a bit, Chimaev keeps the ride though. Chimaev is keeping Strickland on his knees, then takes the back again. A few punches from Chimaev, nothing on them though as he moves back to the ride. Strickland is up, and Chimaev with a mat return then gets the back again. Somehow Chimaev got cut on the bridge of his nose. Chimaev fishes for a choke, Strickland is hand fighting though and pretty easily sees out the round.

SCORECARD: 10-9 Chimaev

ROUND TWO: They touch gloves again. Bit of a one two from Strickland. Strickland lands a jab. Both men miss looping punches. Some up and down jabs from Chimaev. Strickland with a one two then a front kick. Glancing right hand from Strickland. Another right from Strickland to counter a body jab. Chimaev is showing stance switches on occasion. Counter right from Strickland. Chimaev shoots, but Strickland smothers him and Chimaev pulls half guard. Full guard now for Chimaev. Strickland with a few punches from on top, Chimaev looks a little tired if we’re just looking at some body language. Strickland stands free and they reset on the feet. A few more jabs from Strickland then a one two. Strickland blocks a takedown and Chimaev flops to his back, Strickland gets on top and lands some punches. Some more body and head punches from Strickland. Strickland fires a few lefts to the head, nothing serious but he’s making Chimaev deal with it. The round ends with Strickland still on top.

SCORECARD: 10-9 Strickland, 19-19 overall

ROUND THREE: They touch gloves again. Strickland with immediate jabs as he circles. Chimaev misses a few punches, he’s trying to get his legs back under him. More jabs from Strickland. Chimaev lands a body kick. Bit of a counter combination from Strickland. Strickland avoids a few punches. More jabs from Strickland. Chimaev misses a right hand. Strickland lands a couple more jabs then lands a right hand. Solid one two from Strickland. Chimaev is still throwing but not really landing, this is a Strickland style fight and Chimaev isn’t going to win that. Right hand from Strickland then he deflects the counters. Both men miss rights. Strickland lands a few more jabs then a one two. Several jabs from Strickland land. Chimaev lands a left but he can’t land the follow up offense. Strickland lands a counter right. They just split jabs for a bit then Strickland lands a counter right hand. Chimaev is cut around the left eye and Strickland’s nose is bleeding. Another jab from Strickland. Strickland lands a front kick. Chimaev misses a left hand then eats a jabs to end the round.

SCORECARD: 10-9 Strickland, 29-28 Strickland overall

ROUND FOUR: They touch gloves again. Chimaev jabs the body. Front kick from Strickland. Jabs from Strickland as he circles. Bit of a left hand from Chimaev. They keep jabbing at each other. Chimaev lands a right hand. Bit of a one two from Strickland. Strickland avoids a few punches then lands a one two. Chimaev lands a body kick. Strickland lands a couple jabs. One two from Strickland. Chimaev misses a right hand then Strickland with a counter right. Strickland jabs and avoids a right hand. Right hand from Strickland. Chimaev with an overhand right that partially lands. They split jabs again. Right hand from Strickland. Chimaev lands a calf kick. Again Strickland with the one two. Chimaev lands a right to the body. More jabs from Strickland as he circles. Strickland with a right hand. Chimaev shoots and gets a takedown against the fence. Strickland to his knees, Chimaev into the ride position. They trade a few punches from their knees. Chimaev gets to the ride again and hangs out there as the round ends.

SCORECARD: 10-9 Chimaev but could go either way, 38-38 overall

ROUND FIVE: They touch gloves for the final round. Strickland with a jab. Chimaev with a double leg and then moves to the ride, he’s just gonna ice this round I guess. Strickland stands then turns into Chimaev. Strickland blocks a level change then hits a whizzer kick to counter a takedown. Chimaev still keeps the clinch and moves to the back standing. Strickland gets chest to chest again and knees the body then pushes free. They both fire jabs again. Strickland lands a one two. More jabs from Strickland. Chimaev lands a jab of his own. Strickland with a combination. Right hand from Strickland. More jabs from Strickland. Chimaev keeps coming forward but his offense isn’t as effective now. Strickland with more jabs. Bit of an uppercut from Strickland. Chimaev lands a leg kick. Again Strickland sticks Chimaev with jabs. Stiff jab from Strickland. Chimaev misses a right hand. Bit of a right from Chimaev. Strickland with a front kick. A few jabs from Strickland, Chimaev shoots but has to settle for a clinch on the fence. Chimaev is trying for trips but Strickland is defending. Strickland gets free and they reset. 30 seconds left and Strickland lands a hard right hand. Chimaev lands a right but eats a counter left hook. Strickland with jabs then both men swing with mixed results as the round ends.

SCORECARD: 10-9 Strickland but could go either way, 48-47 Strickland overall but they’ll probably give it to Chimaev

OFFICIAL RESULT: †WINNER – and NEW UFC Middleweight Champion Sean Strickland via split decision (47-48, 48-47 x2)

Mic time for Strickland, he apologizes for going so hard trash talking and plays peacemaker then puts over Chimaev and says he just wants to sell the fight. He puts over Chimaev’s forward pressure and he couldn’t get him to back up despite hitting him with everything he had. He says his nose might be broken, but he loves the fans and wouldn’t be here without the people. Whatever religion or ethnicity you are, if you’re a fan of his he loves you.

Well everyone on that note UFC 328 comes to a close. We’ll be unpacking all of this tomorrow on the 411 Ground and Pound MMA Podcast, plus look ahead to next week when we’re back in the warehouse for an admittedly good main event of Arnold Allen taking on Melquizael Costa. Things fall apart after that fight, but that’s for next week. For now we had a pretty darn good night of fights and I’m willing to just take the rare win despite the event going north of 7 hours. Until next time thank you all so much for watching, stay safe out there and keep checking 411mania for all of your pop culture needs.

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