UFC 328 fight week will ramp up with a full media day ahead of Khamzat Chimaev vs. Sean Strickland for Chimaev’s middleweight title, with interviews streaming live at 1:30 p.m. ET.
The event, taking place May 9, 2026, at the Prudential Center in Newark, New Jersey, features Chimaev listed as UFC middleweight champion opposite No. 3 middleweight Strickland in a main event that will air on Paramount+.
Former Strickland opponent Alex Pereira weighed in on the matchup after discussing their history on Countdown to UFC 328. “Before our fight, I saw him differently,” Pereira said, before expanding on how his view changed once they shared the cage and later trained together.
“But once he stepped into the Octagon, you could see it on his face, he was a different guy. He is a warrior. The first time we trained together was after our fight. I learned a lot from those sessions; he’s got a lot of experience. He knows his craft. He’s always moving forward, firing that jab. That’s a great weapon he has. Everyone knows that I’m rooting for Sean Strickland. He’s got to stay composed, keep pressing forward, stay alert, watch out for the takedowns, and use his jab and front kick. I’m really excited and motivated for this fight, and I hope he gets the win.”
UFC 328 media day will also feature champions and contenders across multiple divisions, including flyweight champion Joshua Van, No. 3 flyweight Tatsuro Taira, No. 2 heavyweight Alexander Volkov, No. 4 heavyweight Waldo Cortes Acosta, No. 6 welterweight Sean Brady, and No. 9 welterweight Joaquin Buckley, along with several lightweights and middleweights on the card.
