TLDR
- Israel Adesanya believes Sean Strickland has a real chance to upset Khamzat Chimaev at UFC 328 on May 9
- Adesanya says Strickland must avoid takedowns and push the fight into later rounds to win
- Strickland earned his title shot with a second-round TKO over Anthony Hernandez in February
- Adesanya returns from a 13-month layoff to face Joe Pyfer in Seattle this Saturday
- The former champion is on a three-fight losing streak but insists his motivation remains strong
Sources: MMA Fighting | MMA Junkie | Sherdog
Israel Adesanya says Sean Strickland has a real chance to pull off another upset when he challenges Khamzat Chimaev for the middleweight title at UFC 328 on May 9 in Newark. The former two-time champion, who lost to Strickland in 2023, shared his prediction in a recent interview with UFC on Paramount+.
“I think he can if it goes to the later rounds and he doesn’t get taken down,” Adesanya said. “But again, Chimaev is a bat out of hell.”
Adesanya’s comments have generated buzz in the MMA community ahead of the May title fight. The New Zealander knows firsthand what Strickland is capable of after losing a unanimous decision to him in 2023, which ranks as one of the biggest upsets in UFC middleweight history.
Israel Adesanya makes his prediction for Khamzat Chimaev's first title defense against Sean Strickland at UFC 328 🧐
Read here : https://t.co/IGkANM8out pic.twitter.com/cdj5g85ozP
— Sportskeeda MMA (@sportskeedaMMA) March 26, 2026
Key to Victory for Strickland
According to Adesanya, Strickland’s path to victory depends on his ability to handle Chimaev’s aggressive grappling attack. He explained that the American fighter could match Chimaev’s aggression early but needs to avoid getting taken down.
“He’s a guy that comes aggressively straight away and Strickland could match that probably, but we’ll see,” Adesanya said. “They trained together, so there’s probably something that happened in the gym that we are not privy to.”
Strickland earned his title shot with a second-round TKO victory over Anthony Hernandez at UFC Houston in February. The win allowed him to leapfrog other contenders, including Nassourdine Imavov, who some felt deserved the opportunity.
Chimaev claimed the middleweight championship earlier this year and will make his first title defense against Strickland. The undefeated Chechen fighter is known for his dominant wrestling and aggressive style.
Adesanya Prepares for Seattle Return
Adesanya will make his own return to the Octagon this Saturday in Seattle when he faces Joe Pyfer in the main event. The 36-year-old is coming off a 13-month layoff and enters the fight on a three-fight losing streak.
After beating Alex Pereira to reclaim the middleweight belt, Adesanya has suffered defeats to Strickland, Dricus Du Plessis, and Nassourdine Imavov. Despite the skid, he maintains his motivation remains strong.
“I don’t know if it’s my final chapter — it’s on the back end of my career — but definitely not my final chapter,” Adesanya told ESPN. During his time away, he launched a music festival called Afro Soul and performed as a DJ, headlined by artist Burna Boy.
Adesanya rejected suggestions he lost focus during his recent losses. He pointed to his active fight schedule and the need for his body and mind to rest after a long combat sports career.
“I had to just take a step back and let my body rest, let my mind rest, because again I was very active, which a lot of people wouldn’t do in my position,” he said. The former champion fought in 14 consecutive pay-per-view events, serving as the main event in 12 of them, before stepping down to fight night cards.
Pyfer represents the lowest-ranked opponent Adesanya has faced since fighting Marvin Vettori in 2018. The American enters Saturday’s bout on a three-fight winning streak.
“Well-rounded opponent, very dangerous, but I look to put him away,” Adesanya said of Pyfer. “I miss the feeling of winning. I don’t need it, but I want it, and I’m going to get what I want.”
Adesanya confirmed he plans to watch and react to the Strickland vs Chimaev fight on his YouTube channel, FreeStylebender. He continues to train at City Kickboxing in Auckland, where he helps prepare teammates including Carlos Ulberg, who challenges for the light heavyweight title against Jiří Procházka at UFC 237 on April 11.
