The heat was already on — now Chimaev vs. Strickland is official for ...
The Chechen fighter will make his first title defense against the former champion of the division on May 9 at UFC 328 in Newark, New Jersey.
en.as.comDirect answer: As of today, there is no officially confirmed, final result about Chimaev vs. Strickland; multiple outlets and videos in early 2026 teased a marquee matchup, with UFC 328 discussions surrounding a title bout, but subsequent updates have varied and not all reports are consistent. Please note that some content you may have seen (including videos claiming cancellations or replacements) may be rumor or speculative coverage rather than official UFC confirmation. I can search for the latest official statement if you’d like.
Brief recap of the situation (based on recent public chatter):
If you want, I can:
The Chechen fighter will make his first title defense against the former champion of the division on May 9 at UFC 328 in Newark, New Jersey.
en.as.comDana White has confirmed that undefeated middleweight champion Khamzat Chimaev (15-0) will make his first title defense against Sean Strickland (30-7).
www.yardbarker.comSean Strickland claims the title shot ahead of Khamzat Chimaev as Dana White outlines the plans after UFC 305.
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