*Khamzat Chimaev rains down ground and pound shots onto Kamaru Usman. Credit: MMA Fighting.*

The UFC heads to the Prudential Center in Newark, New Jersey with an outstanding card. From start to finish, there’s a high level of competition, with rising stars and established veterans all looking to put on a show this weekend. In the co-main event, newly crowned Flyweight champion Joshua Van will make his first title defense against dangerous grappler Tatsuro Taira. In the main event, undefeated Middleweight champion Khamzat Chimaev looks to defend his belt against his rival and former champion Sean Strickland. Let’s take a look at the fights on the main card.

King Green vs. Jeremy Stephens

*King Green cracks Jim Miller with a stiff right hand. Credit: MMA Fighting.*

Lightweight Bout

King Green: 34-17-1, 12 KO/TKO, 9 Sub.

Jeremy Stephens: 29-22-0, 19 KO/TKO, 2 Sub.

Green has won three of his last five fights and has UFC victories over Grant Dawson (23-3-1), Nasrat Haqparast (18-6-0), and Jim Miller (38-19-0). He is an excellent boxer who picks his opponents apart with quick, heavy hands. He’s rarely in a boring fight, always willing to go to the center of the octagon and exchange blows. Green fights with his hands low, remaining unpredictable and never telegraphing his strikes. He fights behind his jab, keeping his strikes sharp and straight while constantly attacking from different angles and varying his targets. Training at Pinnacle MMA, he’s a solid wrestler and averages more than one takedown per fifteen minutes, but generally prefers to keep the fight standing. Green has been fighting professionally since 2008 and has earned various UFC Lightweight records, including the most significant strikes landed (1950) and the most total strikes landed (2191) all-time.

*Jeremy Stephens lands a stinging right hand on Mason Jones. Credit: MMA Junkie.*

Stephens is making his second UFC appearance after a successful three-year run in BKFC, where he scored notable victories over Eddie Alvarez and Jimmie Rivera. He was a member of the UFC roster from 2007 to 2021, during which he earned 10 post-fight bonuses and recorded the second most knockdowns in UFC history (18). He’s a heavy-handed striker who constantly comes forward and throws bombs. Stephens throws everything with power and in combination, regularly unloading looping hooks and heavy overhands. Training at Alliance MMA, he’s unlikely to initiate grappling exchanges but has solid takedown defense and a purple belt in BJJ. He tends to favor his hands but will also throw heavy leg kicks from range and varies his punches well, attacking the head and body evenly. Stephens earned 8 of his 15 victories during his initial UFC tenure via knockout and is always in pursuit of a finish.

#6 Sean Brady vs. #9 Joaquin Buckley

*Sean Brady stuns Gilbert Burns with a right hook. Credit: MMA Mania.*

Welterweight Bout

Sean Brady: 18-2-0, 3 KO/TKO, 6 Sub.

Joaquin Buckley: 21-7-0, 15 KO/TKO, 0 Sub.

Brady has won three of his last five bouts and has UFC victories over #7-ranked Welterweight Leon Edwards (22-6-0), Gilbert Burns (22-10-0), and Kelvin Gastelum (21-11-0). He is an outstanding grappler and submission ace with excellent Muay Thai striking. Training at Renzo Gracie Philly, he methodically and efficiently breaks down his opponents, constantly forcing them to defend submissions and absorb damage until he can secure a finish. He has outstanding takedown timing and can land them in open space or in the clinch, with excellent double legs and trips. Brady has smothering top control, especially on the back, and will take his opponent’s back with blinding speed. He has fast, accurate hands and heavy kicks, regularly mixing them into his combinations. Brady becomes more dangerous as the fight goes on and earned four of his last five finishes in the third round or later.

*Joaquin Buckley lands a thudding left hook on Colby Covington. Credit: MMA Mania.*

Buckley has won four of his last five outings, holding UFC victories over Stephen Thompson (17-9-1), Vicente Luque (24-12-1), and Nursulton Ruziboev (36-9-2). He’s an explosive striker with serious power in his hands and kicks. He stays in constant motion, firing heavy kicks from range before blitzing forward to close the distance and let his hands go. Buckley throws everything with power but isn’t wild, varying his attacks well and regularly landing to the body and legs, especially with his kicks. Training at Murcielago MMA, he’s willing to grapple and averages over one takedown per fifteen minutes, but he’s most comfortable on his feet. He carries his power throughout the fight and has earned all of his UFC knockouts in the second or third round. Buckley always pushes a heavy pace and has earned two post-fight bonuses in his last three UFC appearances.

#2 Alexander Volkov vs. #4 Waldo Cortes-Acosta

*Alexander Volkov fires a powerful kick to the head of Ciryl Gane. Credit: MMA Junkie.*

Heavyweight Bout

Alexander Volkov: 39-11-0, 24 KO/TKO, 4 Sub.

Waldo Cortes-Acosta: 17-2-0, 9 KO/TKO, 1 Sub.

Volkov has won four of his last five fights and holds UFC victories over #3-ranked Heavyweight Sergei Pavlovich (20-3-0), #12-ranked Heavyweight Marcin Tybura (27-10-0), and Jailton Almeida (22-5-0). He is a lengthy, technical kickboxer with solid power and great cardio. His kicks often set up his hands as he floats along the outside of the cage, landing kicks before unloading combinations. Volkov uses his size well, keeping his opponents on the end of his shots and constantly catching them with heavy, straight punches as they enter his range. He’s a patient, precise striker, favoring power over volume and waiting for openings to land big shots rather than charging into the pocket. Training with Strela Team, he’s strong in the clinch and tough to take down. Volkov rarely takes much damage and has outlanded thirteen of his eighteen UFC opponents.

*Waldo Cortes-Acosta blasts Sergei Pavlovich with a right hook. Credit: MMA Junkie.*

Acosta has won four of his last five bouts, with UFC victories over #6-ranked Heavyweight Serghei Spivac (18-6-0), #9-ranked Heavyweight Derrick Lewis (29-13-0), and #10-ranked Heavyweight Ante Delija (26-8-0). He is a heavy-handed brawler with excellent boxing and a dangerous right hand. He throws every shot with power and is constantly coming forward to unload looping hooks and devastating overhands. Training at UKF Gym, Acosta is most at home in a wild scrap, working inside the pocket and firing knees and elbows in the clinch. He tends to favor power over volume, regularly unloading single shots with knockout intent. While he won’t usually initiate grappling exchanges, he has demonstrated a solid ability to return to his feet. Acosta is defensively sound and rarely absorbs much damage, having outlanded nine of his twelve UFC opponents.

(C) Joshua Van vs. #3 Tatsuro Taira

*Joshua Van tags Rei Tsuruya with a stiff left hand. Credit: MMA Mania.*

Flyweight Title Bout

Joshua Van: 16-2-0, 8 KO/TKO, 2 Sub.

Tatsuro Taira: 18-1-0, 6 KO/TKO, 8 Sub.

Van is on a six-fight win streak, holding UFC victories over #1-ranked Flyweight Alexandre Pantoja (30-6-0), #4-ranked Flyweight Brandon Royval (17-9-0), and #15-ranked Flyweight Bruno Silva (15-8-2). He’s a dangerous striker who constantly comes forward and lets his hands go. He fights behind his jab and favors volume over power, throwing everything in combination without loading up or telegraphing. Van has outstanding head movement and distance management, regularly looking to slip punches before unloading combinations. Training at 4oz Fight Club, he does an exceptional job varying his shots, entering the pocket at different angles, and constantly attacking his opponent’s body and legs. He’s willing to grapple, possessing solid takedown defense and landing, on average, about one takedown per fifteen minutes. Van has the highest significant strikes landed per minute in UFC history, at 8.84, and has outlanded nearly all of his UFC opponents.

*Tatsuro Taira lands a powerful left hand to the chin of Brandon Royval. Credit: MMA Junkie.*

Taira has won four of his last five outings, holding UFC victories over #9-ranked Flyweight Brandon Moreno (23-10-2), #11-ranked Flyweight Alex Perez (26-10-0), and Édgar Cháirez (13-6-0). A dangerous grappler with impressive power, he’s constantly looking to take the fight to the mat and secure a finish. He’s technical and composed on his feet, fighting behind his jab and consistently firing long, straight punches. He has fantastic clinch striking, particularly his knees, and excellent distance management, regularly catching his opponents with heavy shots as they enter the pocket. Training at The Blackbelt Japan, he has outstanding takedowns and scrambles, almost always ending grappling exchanges in top position. He has smothering top control and is very active on top, always pursuing a submission while landing heavy ground and pound throughout. Taira has earned two post-fight bonuses in his last four outings and always leaves everything inside the cage.

(C) Khamzat Chimaev vs. #3 Sean Strickland

*Khamzat Chimaev elevates Dricus Du Plessis for a heavy slam. Credit: MMA Fighting.*

Middleweight Title Bout

Khamzat Chimaev: 15-0-0, 6 KO/TKO, 6 Sub.

Sean Strickland: 30-7-0, 12 KO/TKO, 4 Sub.

Chimaev is undefeated and holds UFC victories over #1-ranked Middleweight Dricus Du Plessis (23-3-0), #8-ranked Welterweight Kamaru Usman (21-4-0), and #10-ranked Middleweight Robert Whittaker (27-9-0). He’s a prolific grappler with outstanding wrestling and serious punching power. He’s dangerous on his feet but often shoots early, typically taking his opponent down quickly with a blast double leg. Training at Allstars Training Center, Chimaev has smothering top pressure and is dominant in top position, always maintaining control while wearing down his opponent. He’s a lengthy fighter and makes excellent use of it, often landing power shots at range and using his striking to set up his wrestling attack. He’s only been taken down once in the UFC and averages over five takedowns per fifteen minutes, almost always dictating where the fight occurs. Nine of Chimaev’s twelve finishes have come in the first round, and he’s at his best early on, remaining dangerous but slowing as the fight continues.

*Sean Strickland floors Anthony Hernandez with a straight right hand. Credit: MMA Fighting.*

Strickland has won three of his last five fights, with UFC victories over #2-ranked Middleweight Nassourdine Imavov (17-4-0), #4-ranked Middleweight Brendan Allen (26-7-0), and #7-ranked Middleweight Anthony Hernandez (15-3-0). He’s an excellent striker who’s always coming forward and pressuring his opponent. He maintains a very upright stance and consistently backs his opponent up, constantly looking to close the distance and let his hands go. Strickland sets up everything with his jab and varies his attacks well, constantly firing shots to both the head and body, especially front kicks. He typically won’t pursue takedowns, but he’s a solid wrestler and has successfully defended 76% of the takedowns attempted against him in the UFC. He has outstanding cardio and strikes with impressive volume, landing, on average, about 146 significant strikes in his last five outings. Training at Xtreme Couture, Strickland has fought for gold three times in his last five fights and has consistently faced the best competition the Middleweight division has to offer.

Best Bets

Alexander Volkov Moneyline: This is an excellent matchup between two dangerous Heavyweight strikers. Although both have excellent skills, I believe Volkov is the more well-rounded and polished striker. Acosta has gone on an impressive run in the UFC, but his best wins have come against brawlers and grapplers (Lewis, Delija, Spivac), and he has not faced a striker of Volkov’s caliber before. He also hasn’t truly had to fight anyone with a high-level kicking game, and Volkov is arguably one of, if not the, best pure kickboxers in the Heavyweight division. I expect Volkov to fight technically and take a measured approach, picking Acosta apart with his kicks from distance and not allowing Acosta to fight in the pocket where he’s most comfortable. As the fight continues, I expect the damage to Acosta to accumulate, especially to his body and legs, slowing his pace and limiting his output, while Volkov remains elusive and precise. Ultimately, I expect a solid fight with some fun exchanges, but I believe it will be a very technical, impressive win for Volkov that puts him directly into the title conversation once again.

Van vs. Taira Over 3.5 Rounds: This is the first of two title fights this Saturday that I’ve been looking forward to. Both of these fighters are dangerous absolutely anywhere the fight goes, and I expect this to be a tightly-contested fight. Although this seems like a classic striker vs. grappler matchup, with Van being the striker and Taira the grappler, both are underratedly well-rounded and can give each other problems either on their feet or on the mat. While no Flyweight fight truly has a slow pace, I expect both of them to take their time and fight intelligently, rather than have a wild brawl. I believe both fighters will take their time early on, establishing their rhythms and respecting the danger in front of them as they get comfortable. I also anticipate plenty of exchanges on the mat, especially early on, that will slow the pace down and make both fighters fight more cautiously. I think there will be plenty of exciting moments in this matchup, but I’m confident it will last at least three and a half rounds.

Chimaev vs. Strickland Over 3.5 Rounds: This is a highly anticipated matchup between two rivals who have exchanged quite a bit of vitriol. Although there’s plenty of beef here, as evidenced by media scrums over the last week, I would be surprised to see this fight turn into a brawl or end quickly. Both have scored recent finish wins, yet they’ve also had very tentative performances, as seen in Chimaev’s fight with Du Plessis and Strickland’s fight with Costa. Given the significance of this matchup to both men and the title on the line, I expect both to fight technically and carefully, with Chimaev looking to grapple and control and Strickland trying to make it a technical striking match. I wouldn’t necessarily expect a long feeling-out process, since I’d be surprised to see either fighter wait to implement their game plan. Similar to the other title fight, I expect this one to play out largely on the floor or along the fence early on, with little damage on either side. As the fight continues, I’m sure they’ll both start to let their hands go and take more chances, but I still believe this title bout will last at least three and a half rounds.

UFC 328 Preview