Chimaev vs. Strickland UFC Title Fight Set for May 9

UFC Middleweight Champion Khamzat Chimaev appears set to defend his title against former champion Sean Strickland on May 9 at UFC 328 in Newark, New Jersey's Prudential Center, according to a leak from a reporter close to Chimaev's camp. The matchup, fueled by months of online animosity, comes as Strickland positions himself as the top contender following his recent victory.

Strickland, who held the middleweight belt until losses to Dricus du Plessis in 2023, earned a strong case for the shot with a third-round TKO over Anthony Hernandez in the main event of UFC Houston last month. The win rebounded him from back-to-back defeats and highlighted his resilience against pressure fighters. In the aftermath, Strickland has repeatedly called out Chimaev, questioning the champion's willingness to compete. "No, I think he will eventually," Strickland said in an interview with BJPenn.com when asked if Chimaev would defend the title. "I think whenever the Chechen warlord says, 'Alright, it's time for you to go represent us,' I think he'll be forced to fight. I don't think he likes fighting."

The bad blood escalated through social media exchanges. Strickland captioned an Instagram post...