UFC 328 takes place tomorrow night in New Jersey. Here are the predictions and notes for the main card and prelims.
Main event and co-main
Khamzat Chimaev (15-0) defends his 185lb title against former champion Sean Strickland. Chimaev won the belt by beating Dricus du Plessis and showed elite wrestling and long control on the mat. Strickland earned this shot by defeating Anthony Hernandez. He is a tough, jab-focused striker with strong cardio and a durable chin.
Prediction: Khamzat Chimaev wins by decision. Expect Chimaev to control the fight with takedowns and mat control. A submission is possible, but a dominant decision is the pick.
Joshua Van makes his first flyweight title defense against Tatsuro Taira. Van is on a six-fight win streak and won the belt after Alexandre Pantoja suffered an early injury. Van is a fast, technical boxer who will rely on takedown defence.
Taira is 8–1 in the UFC and has a big win over former champion Brandon Moreno. He is the bigger fighter and has a more complete game with good takedowns and submissions.
Prediction: Tatsuro Taira wins by submission in Round 2.
Other key fights on the main card
Alexander Volkov (No.2 heavyweight) faces Waldo Cortes-Acosta (No.4). Volkov is a tall, technical kickboxer who uses his 6ft 7in frame and long reach. Cortes-Acosta is quicker and has developed real power in recent wins.
Prediction: Alexander Volkov wins by decision, using range and kickboxing to control three rounds.
Sean Brady meets Joaquin Buckley. Brady is 8–2 in the UFC and has solid wrestling and grappling. Buckley is an explosive striker with many knockouts, but he has been finished several times.
Prediction: Sean Brady wins by submission in Round 2 after taking the fight to the mat.
Bobby Green (listed as King Green in some notes) opens the main card against Jeremy Stephens. Green uses timing and counters. Stephens is experienced and powerful but has mixed recent form.
Prediction: Bobby Green wins by decision, outpointing Stephens over three rounds.
Prelims and card summary
Other fights on the card and predicted winners (as listed):
- Ateba Gautier vs. Osman Diaz
- Joel Álvarez vs. Yaroslav Amosov (pick: Yaroslav Amosov)
- Grant Dawson vs. Mateusz Rębecki (pick: Grant Dawson)
- Jim Miller vs. Jared Gordon (pick: Jared Gordon)
- Roman Kopylov vs. Marco Tulio (pick: Marco Tulio)
- Pat Sabatini vs. William Gomis (pick: Pat Sabatini)
- Baisangur Susurkaev vs. Djorden Santos (pick: Baisangur Susurkaev)
- Clayton Carpenter vs. Jose Ochoa (pick: Jose Ochoa)
Fighter notes
Below is a quick table of the main fighters and their recent results or form coming into UFC 328.
| Fighter | Recent Result / Form |
|---|---|
| Khamzat Chimaev | 15-0, won title vs. Dricus du Plessis; strong wrestling and mat control |
| Sean Strickland | Beat Anthony Hernandez to earn title shot; jab-driven, durable striker |
| Joshua Van | Six-fight win streak; won flyweight title after Pantoja injury |
| Tatsuro Taira | 8-1 UFC; TKO win over Brandon Moreno; solid takedowns and submissions |
| Alexander Volkov | No.2 heavyweight; five wins in six fights; tall technical kickboxer |
| Waldo Cortes-Acosta | No.4 heavyweight; three straight stoppage wins; fast, powerful jab |
| Sean Brady | 8-2 in UFC; strong wrestling and grappling, coming off a TKO loss in November |
| Joaquin Buckley | Explosive striker; saw a six-fight run end last summer; many career knockouts |
These are the picks and notes for UFC 328. Expect a mix of wrestling battles, striking tests, and a few submission threats on the card.
