On Saturday, the Ultimate Fighting Championship held a significant fight card in Newark, New Jersey, at UFC 328, featuring two championship contests. The primary event showcased Khamzat Chimaev defending his middleweight championship against Sean Strickland, while the co-main event featured Joshua Van putting his flyweight belt on the line against Tatsuro Taira.
Ultimately, it was Strickland who secured a narrow split decision victory, achieving a substantial upset. Meanwhile, Van earned a TKO win over Taira, successfully defending his flyweight title for the first time. Following the conclusion of UFC 328, here are my thoughts on the potential next steps for the prominent fighters from the event.
Sean Strickland
Sean Strickland entered UFC 328 as a significant underdog, yet he delivered a strong performance. Strickland effectively escaped takedowns and managed to land a greater volume of strikes while on his feet.
While an immediate rematch with Chimaev would be merited, Chimaev has expressed intentions to compete at 205 pounds. Therefore, a logical subsequent bout would be a rematch against Nassourdine Imavov, who is widely considered the undisputed top contender. This encounter could potentially headline a pay-per-view event later in the autumn.
Khamzat Chimaev
Khamzat Chimaev sustained his initial professional defeat at UFC 328, losing a split decision to Strickland. Chimaev experienced moments of success, but the judges ultimately favored Strickland’s overall performance for the win.
Following his loss, Chimaev declared his move to the light heavyweight division, citing the increasing difficulty of making the 185-pound weight limit. A sensible next opponent would be Paulo Costa, who has also transitioned to light heavyweight, and with whom Chimaev has a prior rivalry. Consequently, a headlining bout between them makes considerable sense in the coming months.
Joshua Van
Joshua Van maintained his status as the UFC’s flyweight champion with a stoppage victory over Tatsuro Taira at UFC 328. Van navigated through some challenging moments but asserted dominance in the later rounds, securing the finish in the fifth round.
With this triumph, Van’s next contest ought to be a rematch against Alexandre Pantoja. Van initially claimed the championship from Pantoja due to an injury the Brazilian sustained mere seconds into their previous encounter, making a rematch an imperative next step.
Tatsuro Taira
Tatsuro Taira aimed to become the first Japanese UFC champion at UFC 328, but his attempt was unsuccessful.
Despite his defeat, Taira remains a flyweight contender and will likely require only one or two more victories to earn another opportunity at the title. A sensible next fight would involve facing the loser of the Manel Kape vs. Kyoji Horiguchi bout, scheduled to occur in June.
What are your thoughts on the appropriate next matchups for the key competitors of UFC 328?
