
Khamzat Chimaev is feeling the effects of his recent fight at UFC 328, which took place on May 9, 2026, in Newark, New Jersey. The event left several fighters, including Chimaev, dealing with post-fight challenges.
NEWARK, NEW JERSEY - MAY 09: Khamzat Chimaev of Russia sits on his stool between rounds against Sean Strickland in the UFC middleweight championship fight during the UFC 328 event at Prudential Center on May 09, 2026 in Newark, New Jersey. (Photo by Chris Unger/Zuffa LLC)
UFC 328 blew the roof off Prudential Center last Saturday night (May 9, 2026) in Newark, New Jersey, leaving several fighters feeling the post-fight blues. Among them was Tatsuro Taira, who was knocked out by Joshua Van in the fifth and final round of their Flyweight title fight (see it again here).
And Jeremy Stephens, who was submitted by King Green in the very first round of their Lightweight bout (highlights here). But which fighter is suffering from the worst post-fight hangover, now a few days removed from the show?
Khamzat Chimaev.
Coming into the event, Chimaev was enjoying a 15-fight unbeaten streak, having never tasted defeat in his eight-year pro mixed martial arts (MMA) career. Furthermore, his reputation as the unstoppable force of the promotion was well known, which was only elevated by his title as Middleweight champion of the world.
Indeed, âBorzâ won the title by bullying Dricus du Plessis at UFC 310 in Aug. 2025, his latest dominant performance in a nine-fight UFC career that saw him take out the likes of , , and , among others. A win over wouldâve not only added to his ever-growing resume, but also give him his first-ever title defense.
Khamzat Chimaev experienced post-fight challenges following his participation in UFC 328 on May 9, 2026.
Notable fighters at UFC 328 included Tatsuro Taira, who was knocked out by Joshua Van, and Jeremy Stephens, who was submitted by King Green.
UFC 328 took place on May 9, 2026, at Prudential Center in Newark, New Jersey.
Post-fight hangovers can affect a fighter's recovery, performance in future matches, and overall mental and physical health.



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Unfortunately, it didnât work out the way he and most felt it would.
For five rounds, Chimaev and Strickland went toe-to-toe for the majority of the bout on the feet, flipping the script after fight fans predicted it would be another dominant grappling display from the champion, which has been the norm throughout his career. And while that seemed to be the route it was going after round one, Strickland was determined to not fall victim to Chimaevâs dominate wrestling.
âTarzanâ made the proper adjustments after the opening frame by showing off his takedown defense, which forced Chimaev to change his gameplan and go to his striking attack, which looked to be on point since Stricklandâs face started to become a bloody mess thanks to a broken nose. But, to his credit, Strickland wasnât backing down despite getting peppered with shots, as he was dishing out the punishment, as well, utilizing his jab repeatedly to cause his own damage.
After five rounds of action, the ringside judges were tasked to deliver a verdict which ultimately resulted in Strickland walking home with a razor-thin split-decision and the world title. So what did Strickland do right that otherâs couldnât?
He simply had a better gas tank.
The loss is a crucial one for Chimaev not only because it was his first-ever defeat, but it has prompted him to once again move up in weight, revealing to UFC CEO, Dana White, post-fight that a move up to the Light Heavyweight division was on the horizon. After all, the brutal weight cut he had to endure to make weight may have impacted his performance.
Should Chimaev stick to his guns and make the move up to 205 pounds. a fight against Paulo Costa seems to be the most obvious choice for his debut fight in a new division given their bitter history stemming from a confrontation between the two at the Meta Apex (see it here). Costa is currently ranked No 7 in the division and is coming off a win over Azamat Murzakanov. The two were set to throw down in 2023 before Costa withdrew with a shoulder injury.
Thatâs why this fight would be an easy sell all the way around and a good bounce back challenge for Chimaev, who could use an impressive win against a formidable foe in order to help erase the memory of losing his undefeated streak and title.
Thoughts?
For complete UFC 328 results and play-by-play, click here.