TLDR
- Dana White says UFC 328 will require heavy security and police presence for the Chimaev vs. Strickland fight in New Jersey
- Both fighters are known for confrontational behavior and have a history of bad blood
- Strickland earned his title shot with a dominant win over Anthony Hernandez
- Daniel Cormier previously warned the UFC cannot let the two face off without security
- Jorge Masvidal criticized Chimaev’s wrestling-heavy style and believes Strickland will be tough to control
Sources: yardbarker.com | sports.yahoo.com
UFC President Dana White is already planning for major security challenges at UFC 328 in May. The event will feature a middleweight title fight between champion Khamzat Chimaev and former champion Sean Strickland.
White addressed his concerns during a live stream with Adin Ross on Thursday. He said the UFC will need a large amount of security and police in New Jersey for the two fighters.
“Let me tell you, the bombers’ security—we’re going to need a lot in New Jersey for those two,” White said. “The amount of security and police…”
The security worries come from both fighters’ history of confrontational behavior. Chimaev and Strickland are known as two of the most aggressive personalities on the UFC roster.
Dana White confirms he’s ’beefing up’ the security for Strickland vs Khamzat fight week 😳 pic.twitter.com/50wjJAtVHA
— Sportskeeda MMA (@sportskeedaMMA) April 9, 2026
Bad Blood Between Champions
Both fighters have shown they are willing to get physical with opponents before fight night. The two also have a history of bad blood that goes back several years.
White acknowledged the risk during Thursday’s fight announcements. “How much security you think we’re gonna need for Chimaev vs. Strickland?” he said with a laugh.
UFC veteran Daniel Cormier had previously mentioned that the promotion needs very high security for this matchup. He said the UFC cannot let the two face off without proper protection in place.
How Strickland Earned His Shot
The fight announcement surprised some fans who expected Nassourdine Imavov to get the next title shot. Instead, matchmakers chose Strickland based on his recent performance.
Strickland earned another championship opportunity with a dominant win over Anthony Hernandez in his last fight. White praised Strickland’s performance, saying he “looked incredible” in that bout.
“Fun card and obviously the main event is the fight people have been waiting for for a long time,” White said during the announcement.
Former UFC fighter Jorge Masvidal recently criticized Chimaev’s fighting style ahead of UFC 328. In an interview with Deathrow MMA, Masvidal said Chimaev relies too heavily on wrestling instead of striking.
“Just sit there and sniff crotches,” Masvidal said. “You have a chance to strike, but you’re just holding the guy down because you’re scared they’re going to get away.”
Masvidal said that while Chimaev is a better wrestler, he doesn’t consider that complete fighting. He believes Strickland will be a tough matchup because even if Chimaev takes him down, keeping him there won’t be easy.
The UFC 328 card is scheduled for May in New Jersey. White confirmed the event is part of a long list of fight cards announced Thursday that run through June.
The promotion has not yet released specific details about how much extra security will be deployed. White’s comments suggest the security presence will be larger than typical UFC events.
