Colby Covington anticipates a clear victory for Khamzat Chimaev against Sean Strickland in their upcoming middleweight title showdown.
Chimaev is set to make his first defense of the middleweight championship against former titleholder Strickland in the main event of UFC 328, scheduled for May 9 at the Prudential Center in Newark, New Jersey.
“Borz” secured the 185-pound title with a grappling-heavy performance, earning a unanimous decision over Dricus du Plessis at UFC 319 in August 2025. The 31-year-old Chechen fighter maintains an undefeated record of 15-0, including a perfect 9-0 run within the UFC, and is widely expected to continue his winning streak due to his aggressive style.
Meanwhile, the 35-year-old American returned to the Octagon after a year-long hiatus, following a lopsided unanimous decision loss to Dricus du Plessis in their UFC 312 title fight in February 2025. Strickland bounced back impressively, securing a knockout victory against rising contender Anthony Hernandez last month.
Strickland now boasts a 17-7 record in the UFC and aims to reclaim the title he initially won with a decision victory over former champion Israel Adesanya at UFC 293 in September 2023.
Covington Expects Tactical Grappling from Chimaev Against Strickland
During a recent interview, Colby Covington analyzed the Khamzat Chimaev vs. Sean Strickland title clash, describing it as a stylistic mismatch. “Chaos” suggested that “Borz” will likely leverage his elite grappling to neutralize Strickland’s striking threat.
Covington stated he doesn’t give Strickland a chance, highlighting the significant difference in grappling levels and strategy between Khamzat and a previous opponent, Anthony Hernandez. He believes Chimaev will take Strickland down and submit him.
The former UFC welterweight champion also brought up a widely discussed 2022 sparring session between Khamzat Chimaev and Sean Strickland. Covington asserted that Chimaev dominated Strickland during that session and expects a similar performance on May 9.
Covington believes “Borz” will employ a calculated game plan to decisively control the fight. He emphasized that Chimaev “is not going to be stupid” by engaging in a striking contest with Sean. Instead, Covington predicts Chimaev will focus solely on grappling, placing Strickland in difficult positions to secure a submission or maintain control for the full 25 minutes.
