Chimaev Kicks Strickland at UFC 328 Press Conference
Khamzat Chimaev kicked Sean Strickland during their faceoff at the UFC 328 press conference on May 7, 2026, at the Prudential Center in Newark, New Jersey. Security intervened and separated the middleweights. The kick’s exact point of contact was unclear in the available footage.
Strickland Won the Title Fight
The incident came two days before their UFC 328 main event. Strickland defeated Chimaev by split decision on May 9 to reclaim the UFC middleweight championship. The judges scored the five-round fight 48–47 for Strickland, 48–47 for Chimaev, and 48–47 for Strickland.
Citation Sources
- Yahoo Sports – Chimaev disrupts Strickland throughout press conference Yahoo Sports
- Larry Brown Sports – Chimaev kicks Strickland during faceoff chaos Larry Brown Sports
- MSN – Background on rivalry and press conference escalation MSN
- Sports Illustrated – Viral staredown and public reaction Sports Illustrated
- MSN – Security measures and fight-week tensions MSN
Article Tags
UFC 328, Khamzat Chimaev, Sean Strickland, UFC Press Conference, MMA News, UFC Middleweight Title, Newark UFC Event
The pre-fight kick drew attention because the fighters met again two days later for the middleweight title. Strickland won that bout by split decision, with two judges scoring 48–47 for him and one scoring 48–47 for Chimaev. The press-conference incident and the five-round result are separate events in the same fight week.
