The reigning UFC Middleweight Champion, Khamzat “Borz” Chimaev, makes his first title defense in the Main Event of UFC 328 against Sean Strickland. It has been a while since we have seen a matchup between two fighters who truly hate each other. Chimaev and Strickland’s hatred for each other is genuine, and it is evident it isn’t staged for publicity or the cameras.
Check out my best bet below for the Main Event of UFC 328.
Khamzat Chimaev to Win in Rounds 1-2 (+145)
Chimaev beat Dricus Du Plessis by unanimous decision, but it was one of the most lopsided UFC title fights in recent memory. Chimaev landed 529 total strikes compared to Du Plessis’ 45 while landing 12 takedowns and having 21:40 of control time. Before that contest, DDP looked dominant, and Chimaev made him appear ordinary.
A few years ago, Chimaev went to Las Vegas, Nevada, and trained with Strickland at Xtreme Couture. But since leaving the gym, Strickland and Chimaev have had multiple back-and-forths. Both guys have made threats towards each other and are two of the most unpredictable fighters in the UFC.
Since beating Israel Adesanya for the UFC title, he has gone 2-2 with two losses in championship fights. Although Strickland has shown flashes of greatness, as he did against Anthony Hernandez, he has been very inconsistent throughout his career. When facing a pressure fighter like Du Plessis, Strickland struggled to keep up with his pace and became passive. From the start of the contest, Chimaev swarms his opponent, leaving them little room to operate.
Although Strickland is a former titleholder, Chimaev remains a massive favorite. On DraftKings Sportsbook, Chimaev is a -500 favorite with Strickland being a +380 underdog. The over/under is set at 3.5 rounds, with the under being -135 and the over at +105. This bout is +2180 to go the distance and -245 to end before the scheduled 25 minutes. Chimaev has won 12 of his 15 fights by finish in the first two rounds. Also, he has never won back-to-back bouts by decision. With that being the case, I’m taking Chimaev to win in rounds 1-2 at +145. Chimaev should enter this bout aggressively and look to finish, as he is facing a longtime rival.
