It’s fight day! UFC middleweight champion Khamzat Chimaev makes the first defence of his title this evening (Saturday, May 9th, 2026), when he takes on former champion Sean Strickland in the main event of UFC 328 at the Prudential Center in Newark, New Jersey, live on PPV. The two fighters have a genuine history of bad blood dating back to sparring sessions at Xtreme Couture, and the UFC is reportedly increasing security around fight week to keep them apart before they finally settle it inside the Octagon.
Chimaev (15-0) is one of the most dominant fighters in UFC history, riding a perfect 9-0 UFC record that includes wins over former champions Kamaru Usman, Robert Whittaker, and Dricus Du Plessis. He captured the middleweight title at UFC 319 last August with a lopsided unanimous decision over Du Plessis, landing 12 takedowns and breaking the all-time UFC record for total strikes landed in a fight. Strickland (30-7) earned this title shot with an upset TKO of Anthony Hernandez in February, snapping a streak of three consecutive five-round decisions and reminding everyone he can finish fights when the opening is there.
Backing Chimaev means trusting that his elite chain wrestling and 100% career takedown defence rate carry the day against a fighter whose own takedown defence sits at 72%. The case for Strickland comes down to his stiff jab, high-volume boxing from range, and the cardio to drag a forward-pressing champion into deep water over five rounds. Whether you’re siding with the unbeaten champion or backing the former titleholder to pull off the upset, check below for how Canadian bettors can get in on the action.
Bet On Khamzat Chimaev vs Sean Strickland in Canada – 3 Step Guide
Step #1: Open A Betting Account
The first step to betting on Chimaev vs Strickland is to sign up with a sportsbook that serves Canada. We recommend SportsInteraction.com. Sports Interaction is licensed by iGaming Ontario to operate in the regulated Ontario betting market, and also accepts players from across the rest of Canada.
Click here to open a SportsInteraction.com account. Click ‘Register’ on the landing page and complete the sign up form to open your account.
Step #2: Deposit
Once your account is registered, you’ll need to add funds before placing any bets. For Canadian bettors, Interac e-Transfer is the easiest and fastest deposit and withdrawal method available with transactions processing instantly. You can also use Visa, Mastercard, ApplePay, Online Banking, paysafecard, and more. Check out our deposit methods page for a full breakdown of the different deposit options available.
Step #3: Place Your Bets
With your account funded, navigate to the MMA section of SportsInteraction.com and scroll to May 9th to find Chimaev vs Strickland. Click the fighters’ names to see the full list of betting markets available for the fight including round betting, method of victory, total rounds, and more.
Select ‘Events’ followed by ‘UFC 328’ in the MMA section to easily find the fight.
Here are the odds for the fight winner market from SportsInteraction.com (odds taken May 9th, 2026):
Chimaev’s -550 odds translate to an implied probability of 84.6% that the unbeaten middleweight champion wins the fight. At -550, you would need to wager $550 to win $100. Strickland’s +400 odds reflect an implied probability of 20% that the former champion pulls off the upset. A $100 bet on Strickland would return $400 in winnings. The extra 4.6% is the vig in the betting market.
Once you’ve selected your market and entered your stake, confirm your bet slip and you’re all set for fight night.
Chimaev vs Strickland goes live on PPV on Saturday, May 9th, 2026 from the Prudential Center in Newark, New Jersey. Click here to place your bets at SportsInteraction.com.
Tagged With : Khamzat Chimaev • Sean Strickland