{"id":660673,"date":"2026-05-09T22:40:09","date_gmt":"2026-05-09T22:40:09","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/660673\/"},"modified":"2026-05-09T22:40:09","modified_gmt":"2026-05-09T22:40:09","slug":"ufc-328-picks-expert-predictions-for-chimaev-vs-strickland","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/660673\/","title":{"rendered":"UFC 328 Picks: Expert Predictions for Chimaev vs. Strickland"},"content":{"rendered":"<p>Discover expert predictions for the main card of UFC 328: Chimaev vs. Strickland, as the UFC heads to Newark with two titles on the line.<\/p>\n<p>\t\t\t<img decoding=\"async\" class=\"lozad \" style=\"aspect-ratio:16 \/ 7\" src=\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/ps6lmnl1eniogewivcjc.jpg\" alt=\"UFC 328 Expert Picks: Predictions for the Main Card\" fetchpriority=\"high\" loading=\"eager\" width=\"1500\" data-credit=\"Joe Camporeale-Imagn Images\"\/><\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.rotowire.com\/mma\/player\/khamzat-chimaev-2053\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">Khamzat Chimaev<\/a> looks to extend his reign of dominance when he defends his title as a heavy favorite against <a href=\"https:\/\/www.rotowire.com\/mma\/player\/sean-strickland-429\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">Sean Strickland<\/a> at UFC 328 on Saturday at the Prudential Center in New Jersey. Setting the stage for the main event is another title fight between flyweights <a href=\"https:\/\/www.rotowire.com\/mma\/player\/joshua-van-2437\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">Joshua Van<\/a> and <a href=\"https:\/\/www.rotowire.com\/mma\/player\/tatsuro-taira-2280\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">Tatsuro Taira<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.rotowire.com\/mma\/article\/draftkings-ufc-picks-ufc-328-dfs-preview-113525\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">UFC 328 DraftKings Picks<\/a><br \/><a href=\"https:\/\/www.rotowire.com\/mma\/article\/ufc-best-bets-today-picks-odds-predictions-for-ufc-328-113641\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">UFC 328 Betting Picks<\/a><br \/><a href=\"https:\/\/www.rotowire.com\/mma\/article\/ufc-328-chimaev-vs-strickland-dfs-analysis-drakes-takes-113664\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">UFC 328 Fight Breakdowns<\/a><br \/><a href=\"https:\/\/www.rotowire.com\/mma\/article\/ufc-predictions-preview-picks-props-for-ufc-328-the-mma-mashup-113761\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">UFC 328 DFS &amp; Prop Breakdown<\/a><\/p>\n<p>We also feature a\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/www.rotowire.com\/daily\/mma\/optimizer.php\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\"> UFC DFS Lineup Optimizer<\/a>\u00a0to try if you&#8217;re looking to try out different combinations of fighters and\/or generate multiple lineups, plus <a href=\"https:\/\/www.rotowire.com\/betting\/mma\/?event=288\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">UFC 328 odds<\/a> from every major sportsbook.<\/p>\n<p>MMA Expert Predictions &amp; Picks: UFC 328 Main CardMATCHUP<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align:center;\">WEIGHT\u00a0<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align:center;\">CLASS<\/p>\n<p>JONJAKECHRIS(C) <a href=\"https:\/\/www.rotowire.com\/mma\/player\/khamzat-chimaev-2053\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">Khamzat Chimaev<\/a> (-550) vs.<br \/><a href=\"https:\/\/www.rotowire.com\/mma\/player\/sean-strickland-429\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">Sean Strickland<\/a> (+400)<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align:center;\">Middleweight<br \/>Championship<\/p>\n<p>ChimaevChimaevStrickland(C) <a href=\"https:\/\/www.rotowire.com\/mma\/player\/joshua-van-2437\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">Joshua Van<\/a> (+140) vs.<br \/><a href=\"https:\/\/www.rotowire.com\/mma\/player\/tatsuro-taira-2280\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">Tatsuro Taira<\/a> (-170)<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align:center;\">Flyweight Championship<\/p>\n<p>TairaTairaVan<a href=\"https:\/\/www.rotowire.com\/mma\/player\/alexander-volkov-717\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">Alexander Volkov<\/a> (-180) vs.<br \/><a href=\"https:\/\/www.rotowire.com\/mma\/player\/waldo-cortes-acosta-2315\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">Waldo Cortes-Acosta<\/a> (+150)<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align:center;\">Heavyweight<\/p>\n<p>VolkovVolkovVolkov<a href=\"https:\/\/www.rotowire.com\/mma\/player\/sean-brady-1970\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">Sean Brady<\/a> (-170) vs.<br \/><a href=\"https:\/\/www.rotowire.com\/mma\/player\/joaquin-buckley-968\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">Joaquin Buckley<\/a> (+140)<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align:center;\">Welterweight<\/p>\n<p>BradyBradyBrady<a href=\"https:\/\/www.rotowire.com\/mma\/player\/king-green-274\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">King Green<\/a> (-310) vs.<br \/><a href=\"https:\/\/www.rotowire.com\/mma\/player\/jeremy-stephens-231\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">Jeremy Stephens<\/a> (+250)<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align:center;\">Lightweight<\/p>\n<p>GreenGreenGreen\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0UFC 328 RECORD\u00a00-00-00-02026 RECORD\u00a012-813-79-112026 PERCENTAGE\u00a0.600.650.4502025 RECORD\u00a037-2535-2726-362025 PERCENTAGE\u00a0.597.565.4192024 RECORD\u00a045-1941-2339-252024 PERCENTAGE\u00a0.703.641.6102023 RECORD\u00a042-2544-2335-322023 PERCENTAGE\u00a0.627.657.5222022 RECORD\u00a034-2740-2125-262022 PERCENTAGE\u00a0.557.656.4902021 RECORD\u00a035-2842-2137-262021 PERCENTAGE\u00a0.556.667.5862020 RECORD\u00a036-1834-2028-262020 PERCENTAGE\u00a0.667.630.5192019 RECORD\u00a039-1935-2332-262019 PERCENTAGE\u00a0.672.603.552ALL-TIME\u00a0\u00a0375-231381-225\u00a0300-252ALL-TIME PERCENTAGE\u00a0.619.629.543\u00a0<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align:center;\">MATCHUP<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align:center;\">WEIGHT\u00a0<br \/>CLASS<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align:center;\">JOE<br \/>&#8220;SUNTZU&#8221;<\/p>\n<p>COLE \u00a0 \u00a0\u00a0DRAKE(C) <a href=\"https:\/\/www.rotowire.com\/mma\/player\/khamzat-chimaev-2053\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">Khamzat Chimaev<\/a> (-550) vs.<br \/><a href=\"https:\/\/www.rotowire.com\/mma\/player\/sean-strickland-429\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">Sean Strickland<\/a> (+400)<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align:center;\">Middleweight<br \/>Championship<\/p>\n<p>ChimaevChimaevChimaev(C) <a href=\"https:\/\/www.rotowire.com\/mma\/player\/joshua-van-2437\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">Joshua Van<\/a> (+140) vs.<br \/><a href=\"https:\/\/www.rotowire.com\/mma\/player\/tatsuro-taira-2280\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">Tatsuro Taira<\/a> (-170)<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align:center;\">Flyweight Championship<\/p>\n<p>TairaTairaVan<a href=\"https:\/\/www.rotowire.com\/mma\/player\/alexander-volkov-717\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">Alexander Volkov<\/a> (-180) vs.<br \/><a href=\"https:\/\/www.rotowire.com\/mma\/player\/waldo-cortes-acosta-2315\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">Waldo Cortes-Acosta<\/a> (+150)<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align:center;\">Heavyweight<\/p>\n<p>VolkovCortes-AcostaCortes-Acosta<a href=\"https:\/\/www.rotowire.com\/mma\/player\/sean-brady-1970\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">Sean Brady<\/a> (-170) vs.<br \/><a href=\"https:\/\/www.rotowire.com\/mma\/player\/joaquin-buckley-968\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">Joaquin Buckley<\/a> (+140)<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align:center;\">Welterweight<\/p>\n<p>BuckleyBradyBrady<a href=\"https:\/\/www.rotowire.com\/mma\/player\/king-green-274\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">King Green<\/a> (-310) vs.<br \/><a href=\"https:\/\/www.rotowire.com\/mma\/player\/jeremy-stephens-231\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">Jeremy Stephens<\/a> (+250)<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align:center;\">Lightweight<\/p>\n<p>GreenGreenGreen\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0UFC 328 RECORD\u00a00-00-00-02026 RECORD\u00a09-1113-715-52026 PERCENTAGE\u00a0.450.650.7502025 RECORD\u00a032-3037-2541-212025 PERCENTAGE\u00a0.516.597.6612024 RECORD\u00a040-2440-2443-212024 PERCENTAGE\u00a0.625.625.6722023 RECORD\u00a041-2644-2336-312023 PERCENTAGE\u00a0.612.657.5372022 RECORD\u00a038-2339-2239-222022 PERCENTAGE\u00a0.623.639.6392021 RECORD\u00a038-2543-2117-142021 PERCENTAGE\u00a0.603.672.5482020 RECORD\u00a036-18N\/AN\/A2020 PERCENTAGE\u00a0.667N\/AN\/A2019 RECORD\u00a034-24N\/AN\/A2019 PERCENTAGE\u00a0.586N\/AN\/AALL-TIME\u00a0305-200213-120192-114ALL-TIME PERCENTAGE\u00a0.604.640.627<\/p>\n<p>In search of a new, legal sportsbook? Get in on the action with our <a href=\"https:\/\/www.rotowire.com\/betting\/sportsbook-promo-codes\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer nofollow\">best sportsbook promo codes<\/a>, as well as these selections for the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.rotowire.com\/betting\/best-sports-betting-sites\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer nofollow\">best sports betting sites<\/a> and <a href=\"https:\/\/www.rotowire.com\/betting\/sports-betting-apps\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer nofollow\">sports betting apps<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p>THE PICKERS<\/p>\n<p>Jon Litterine:\u00a0RotoWire lead MMA beat writer and scribe for our\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/www.rotowire.com\/mma\/articlesColumn.htm?id=290\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">weekly DrafKings preview<\/a>. Lead analyst on the\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/www.rotowire.com\/mma\/articlesColumn.htm?id=298\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">RotoWire MMA Podcast<\/a>. Follow him on Twitter at\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/JonLitterine\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">@JonLitterine<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p>Jake Letarski:\u00a0RotoWire.com Operations Manager, plus MMA and NCAA Hoops Senior Editor. Host on the\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/www.rotowire.com\/mma\/articlesColumn.htm?id=298\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">RotoWire MMA Podcast<\/a>\u00a0and guest on the\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/itunes.apple.com\/us\/podcast\/rotowire-fantasy-football\/id905813866?mt=2\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">RotoWire Fantasy Football Podcast<\/a>. Follow him on Twitter at\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/JakeSki52\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">@RotoJake<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p>Chris Olson: Contributor at RotoWire to &#8220;Fight IQ, presented by RotoWire,&#8221; as well as\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/www.rotowire.com\/mma\/article.php?id=55125\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">The MMA Mashup<\/a>,\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/www.rotowire.com\/expert.htm?name=Christopher%20Olson\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">DFS Baseball<\/a>,\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/www.rotowire.com\/mma\/column.php?id=517\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">a MMA gambling columnist<\/a>\u00a0and fight recaps. Follow him on Twitter at\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/RealChrisOlson\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">@RealChrisOlson<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p>Joe &#8220;SunTszu&#8221;: Known more commonly by his Twitter handle\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/suntszu\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">@SunTszu<\/a>, Joe is a Hedge Fund Executive by day and high-volume DFS player by night. He is a 2x &#8220;Bracket Challenge&#8221; &amp; &#8220;Gotham qualifier. You can also find him as one of the original contributors of &#8220;Fight IQ, presented by RotoWire,&#8221; a DFS-centric video breakdown. He is also a co-creator of the &#8220;Creating Alpha in DFS&#8221; podcast.<\/p>\n<p>Cole Shelton:\u00a0Cole Shelton is a full-time sports writer focusing on MMA. His work has appeared on BJPenn.com, CBC Sports, Sports Betting Dime and Blue Jays Nation. He currently pens the\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/www.rotowire.com\/mma\/column.php?id=575\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">MMA Best Bets<\/a>\u00a0column on RotoWire. Follow him on Twitter at\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/ColeShelton91\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">@ColeShelton91<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p>Drake Burden:\u00a0Drake is a proven DFS winner with multiple four-figure paydays under his belt. He took an interest to writing MMA during the pandemic and is active in various Discords and other social media communities. Follow him on Twitter at\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/DBurdz\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">@DBurdz<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p>RotoWire has the latest in <a href=\"https:\/\/www.rotowire.com\/betting\/mma\/\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">UFC betting odds<\/a> &amp; fighter prop bets for every event, plus compares markets across multiple legal sportsbooks.<\/p>\n<p><script async src=\"https:\/\/platform.twitter.com\/widgets.js\" charset=\"utf-8\"><\/script><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"Discover expert predictions for the main card of UFC 328: Chimaev vs. Strickland, as the UFC heads to&hellip;\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":660674,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[570],"tags":[64,63,786,244002,785,85],"class_list":["post-660673","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-mma","tag-au","tag-australia","tag-fighting","tag-minor-league-stats","tag-mma","tag-sports"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/660673","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=660673"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/660673\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/660674"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=660673"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=660673"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=660673"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}