The Prudential Center in Newark, New Jersey, is hosting UFC 328, the first event there since UFC 316 in 2025. Two champions are defending their belts for the first time. The main event is a middleweight title fight between champion Khamzat Chimaev and challenger Sean Strickland, who previously held the belt. The co-main event features flyweight champion Joshua Van, who is defending his strap for the first time against Tatsuro Taira. The early prelims begin at 5:00 p.m. ET, and the main card starts at 9:00 p.m. ET on Paramount+. Check out our top UFC 328 picks below.
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UFC 328 Picks: Khamzat Chimaev vs. Sean Strickland
(Odds courtesy of DraftKings Sportsbook)
Khamzat Chimaev Betting Profile (-575)
Khamzat "Borz" Chimaev won the belt from Dricus Du Plessis in August 2025. He won via unanimous decision and dominated the fight on the mat. Before that, he beat Robert Whittaker and Kamaru Usman. He is 15-0 as a professional and 9-0 in the UFC.
Chimaev lands 4.04 significant strikes and absorbs 2.32 significant strikes per minute. He lands with 60% accuracy and defends 43% of his opponents’ significant strikes. He averages an astounding 5.29 takedowns landed per 15 minutes, with 55% accuracy. Chimaev also averages 1.8 submissions attempted per 15 minutes.
Sean Strickland Betting Profile (+425)
Sean Strickland won his most recent bout against Anthony "Fluffy" Hernandez via third-round knockout. That was in February 2026, a full year after he lost to Dricus Du Plessis for the title. Strickland won the belt in September 2023 by beating Israel Adesanya, but lost in his first defense in his first fight against Du Plessis. He is 5-2 in his last seven fights, both losses coming against Du Plessis in title fights.
Strickland lands 6.04 significant strikes and absorbs 4.57 significant strikes per minute. He lands with 42% accuracy and defends 60% of the opponent's significant strikes. He averages 0.71 takedowns landed per 15 minutes, while defending 76% of opponents' takedowns.
UFC 328 Prediction
Sean Strickland showed improvements in his wrestling in his second fight against Dricus Du Plessis. The problem is that Chimaev is the best wrestler in the UFC and has the best top pressure since Khabib Nurmagomedov. He has been taken down only once in the UFC, in his last fight against Du Plessis in the fifth round, when he was completely in control.
Strickland may get up from a takedown early in the fight, but Chimaev is going to wear him down. The physicality of Chimaev is on another level, and he is one of the strongest fighters in the promotion. Chimaev is too good and applies too much pressure. Strickland is a great striker, but he lacks the one-punch power to hurt Chimaev.
This fight is a mismatch, and the odds reflect that. I do not see Strickland lasting long against a fighter as strong as Chimaev. Chimaev is projected to win via submission, but I think he has a decent chance for a ground-and-pound finish. I do think it happens earlier in the fight; however, it ends.
Chimaev has a chance to put the UFC on notice and show how good he is. I like the fight not to start round three at plus odds on DraftKings Sportsbook. It is much closer to a pick’em on other sportsbooks, and the value is too good to pass up.
Bet: Fight Starts Round 3 - No (+130)
