With a middleweight title fight now attached to UFC 328, Chael Sonnen believes Sean Strickland has a real path to upsetting Khamzat Chimaev when they headline May 9 in New Jersey.
A high-stakes middleweight title fight is set to headline UFC 328 on May 9 in New Jersey, where Khamzat Chimaev will meet Sean Strickland in one of the most compelling matchups the division has seen in years. Former UFC title challenger and current analyst Chael Sonnen weighed in on the booking this week, arguing that Strickland is a legitimate threat to derail Chimaev’s rise at 185 pounds.
That opinion lands at an interesting moment for the division. The middleweight title picture has lacked clarity, and this fight could reset it fast: a Chimaev win would cement him as the UFC’s new force at 185, while a Strickland victory would reinforce the idea that durability, pace and experience still matter against explosive hype.
Sonnen pointed to the strange history between the two, especially the conflicting stories about their time training together.
“Strickland and Chimaev have an interesting history. They have opposite views on how they trained together. That’s truly intriguing,” Sonnen said in an interview with Helen Yee Sports on YouTube.
He also pushed back on the idea that Chimaev should be treated as untouchable. “Strickland can absolutely beat Chimaev,” Sonnen said. “At one point, Sean was the best, and there have always been questions around Khamzat. Where is he? Why are there these layoffs? He was ready to fight today, tomorrow, in one weight class, then another... and now it’s been prolonged inactivity. I don’t know if that’s because of injuries or a lack of motivation. But I think this is the right fight.”
That gets to the real pressure on both men. Chimaev still carries the aura of a wrecking machine, but American fans and media have spent months questioning his activity and whether momentum can survive long layoffs. Strickland, meanwhile, has built his brand on volume, toughness and a style that makes opponents work every minute. Over five rounds, that can become a serious factor if Chimaev can’t dictate terms early.
New Jersey should only add to the tension. The Northeast has long been one of the UFC’s strongest markets, and championship fights there tend to bring a sharp, demanding crowd. If this matchup delivers, the winner won’t just leave with the belt — he could define what the next chapter of the middleweight division looks like.
