Joe Pyfer is backing former middleweight champion Sean Strickland ahead of the title fight, saying he believes Strickland can pull off an upset against UAE-based Khamzat Chimaev on May 9 at UFC 328 in Newark, New Jersey.
With UFC 328 set for May 9 in Newark, New Jersey, Joe Pyfer has thrown his support behind Sean Strickland in the former champ’s middleweight title fight against Khamzat Chimaev. Pyfer believes Strickland has the style to disrupt one of the division’s most dangerous grapplers and potentially leave New Jersey with the belt.
The matchup carries major stakes at 185 pounds. If Chimaev wins, he further cements himself as the division’s dominant force and likely shuts down any debate about whether his wrestling-heavy approach can be solved at the elite level. If Strickland pulls it off, the title picture gets flipped again, and the middleweight class suddenly opens up for another round of high-profile contenders.
Pyfer told MMA Junkie he likes Strickland’s chances because of how well he works back to his feet and how effective he can be at dragging opponents into deep, exhausting rounds. In Pyfer’s view, that could become the key dynamic if Chimaev can’t keep Strickland grounded consistently.
For American fans, this is the kind of fight that has real intrigue because it pits two completely different identities against each other: Strickland’s relentless pressure and volume against Chimaev’s explosive wrestling and top control. Newark should provide a strong fight crowd for that contrast, and UFC events in the Northeast have historically delivered a playoff-style atmosphere when title fights are involved.
There are narrative stakes on both sides, too. Strickland needs to prove he can still beat the very best after already reaching the top once, while Chimaev has to show that his game holds up over five rounds against a durable, defiant opponent who rarely gives easy openings. Stylistically, that makes this one of the more compelling middleweight title fights of the year.
Meanwhile, Pyfer has business of his own this weekend, as he is scheduled to face former longtime champion Israel Adesanya in the main event of UFC Fight Night 271 in Seattle, Washington. As for UFC 328, the biggest question is simple: can Strickland survive the early takedown threat long enough to turn the fight into his kind of grind?
