Robert Whittaker picks Khamzat to ‘run over' Strickland at UFC 328
Robert Whittaker is backing Khamzat Chimaev to steamroll Sean Strickland when the middleweight champion defends his belt Saturday night at UFC 328 in Newark.
Whittaker dropped a brutal submission loss to Chimaev at UFC 308 in Abu Dhabi, leaving the cage with a cracked jaw and several broken teeth. That firsthand experience has the former titleholder convinced Strickland is in for a long night against the undefeated Chechen. “Having been in there with Chimaev, having seen what Chimaev can do, once he gets his hands on him — and he will,” Whittaker told Paramount, per MMA Mania. “Gun to my head, Chimaev is gonna run him over.”
Why Whittaker favors Chimaev over Strickland
According to Whittaker, Chimaev’s relentless takedowns and five-round cardio leave little room for Strickland to operate. Whittaker noted that Chimaev shoots from distance and commits fully to mat returns, a style Strickland has yet to face at this level. The Australian acknowledged Strickland talks a convincing game but said experience against the 15-0 champion tells a different story.
Chimaev holds the middleweight strap and closed as betting favourite, while Strickland looks to reclaim gold after previously disposing of another Khamzat — Khamzat Magomedsharipov — earlier in his career. The Paramount+ main card at Prudential Center starts at 9 p.m. ET, with prelims kicking off at 5 p.m.
UFC 328 also features flyweight champion Joshua Van defending against Tatsuro Taira and a heavyweight clash between Alexander Volkov and Waldo Cortes-Acosta on the main card.
Original reporting:
Related Fighters & Stats
Get Ringside Updates
Fight announcements, results, and analysis delivered to your inbox. No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.