UFC 328 delivers a middleweight title clash tonight in Newark, New Jersey, with champion Khamzat Chimaev facing former champ Sean Strickland. Chimaev enters with a perfect 15-0 record, marking his first defense at 185 pounds. Books list him as a heavy favorite around -550 to -590, while Strickland sits at +400 to +410. Many eagle-eyed bettors are already looking to the future of the middleweight division and asking what’s next for ‘Borz’ after UFC 328?
Who is next for Khamzat Chimaev after UFC 328?
As talks around potential opponents continue, after UFC 328, Khamzat Chimaev future odds remain one of the biggest discussion points in the middleweight division, per BetUS. Books offer early lines on Khamzat Chimaev’s potential future foes if he retains the middleweight belt tonight. BetUS lists Chimaev as -400 favorite over Bo Nickal, -450 vs. Leon Edwards, -650 against Nassourdine Imavov, -600 over Caio Borralho, -2500 vs. Michael Page, -800 against Israel Adesanya, and -155 to Islam Makhachev.
Those odds show Chimaev’s dominance in projections, with payouts like $40 profit on a $100 bet against Nickal or $125 against Makhachev.
Did Khamzat Chimaev’s Weigh-In Drama Change the Sean Strickland Line?
Weigh-ins yesterday sparked talk when Chimaev stepped on the scale last, 20 minutes before cutoff, after cutting roughly 45-46 pounds. He hit 185 exactly, as did Strickland, but video showed the scale possibly still settling when officials called the weight. Fighters like Bryce Mitchell and Dustin Poirier called it into question online, yet no major books shifted lines post-weigh-in. Odds stayed firm through presser scuffles, where Chimaev kicked at Strickland during faceoff.
Current props point to a quick finish. Chimaev by submission pays +100 to -105; his decision at +330. KO/TKO for him runs +350. Strickland’s top shot is KO/TKO at +800, decision +413 to +850. Under 2.5 rounds sits -118, not going distance -290.
Lines opened in March with Chimaev at -400 to -600 and Strickland at +300 to +450. Public bets pushed Chimaev shorter to -600 by late April, then they settled near -550 as fight week began. Strickland’s recent TKO over Anthony Hernandez drew some sharp money on him, holding his odds steady around +400.
UFC 328’s middleweight title fight wraps up fight week with clear paths ahead for both fighters. A Chimaev win keeps him dominant, setting up bouts against rising names or big draws. Chimaev holds early lines across books if victorious. BetUS favors him -400 over Bo Nickal, -450 vs. Leon Edwards, -650 against Nassourdine Imavov, -600 over Caio Borralho, and -800 vs. Israel Adesanya.
UFC 328 caps off a tense fight week at Newark’s Prudential Center. Chimaev defends his middleweight strap against Strickland in the main event, with props leaning toward an early stoppage and lines holding firm through weigh-in buzz. Future matchups for the champ already draw sharp interest across books.
