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Khamzat Chimaev and Sean Strickland had to be pulled off a stage by security and law enforcement Thursday after Chimaev kicked his opponent during a face-to-face confrontation at the UFC 328 pre-fight press conference, setting a chaotic tone for Saturday night's middleweight title fight in Newark, New Jersey.
The two fighters had already spent roughly 30 minutes trading insults before the altercation escalated into physical contact. The incident drew immediate intervention from security personnel and law enforcement on site, ending what CBS Sports described as a press conference that "delivered on lofty expectations for insanity."
Chimaev enters Saturday's main event as the reigning middleweight champion. He won the belt by dominating Dricus du Plessis at UFC 319, a performance that established him as one of the division's most dangerous fighters. Strickland, the challenger, knows what it feels like to hold that same title. He shocked the combat sports world when he defeated Israel Adesanya at UFC 293 to claim the championship, only to lose it to du Plessis four months later. A win Saturday would make him a two-time champion.
The card at the Prudential Center goes beyond the main event. In the co-main event, flyweight champion Joshua Van puts his belt on the line against Tatsuro Taira. Van became champion last December when Alexandre Pantoja suffered an arm injury less than 30 seconds into their UFC 323 bout, a circumstance that left his title reign without a defining victory. Saturday gives him what CBS Sports called the opportunity to establish himself as a "true champion" against a dangerous opponent.
Also scheduled for Saturday night is a heavyweight matchup between veteran Alexander Volkov and rising contender Waldo Cortes-Acosta. Volkov has won five of his last six fights, with his only loss in that stretch coming by split decision to Ciryl Gane in December 2024, a fight many observers felt Volkov had done enough to win. Cortes-Acosta arrives on a three-fight winning streak, all three victories coming by knockout.
The early prelims begin at 5 p.m. Eastern, with prelims at 7 p.m. and the main card starting at 9 p.m. All of the action streams on Paramount+, which holds exclusive rights to all UFC numbered events and UFC Fight Nights for seven years through 2033. Subscription plans start at $8.99 per month.
Whether Chimaev and Strickland can keep their animosity contained until fight time remains the question heading into Saturday night.
