UFC 328 Staff Picks: Dominant Middleweights Clash In Exciting Grudge Match
Check out which main card fighters MMASucka staff are picking to win at UFC 328
Bringing the action to the Prudential Center in Newark, New Jersey, UFC 328 features a stacked championship double header main card. Taking top billing for the event, undefeated Chechen juggernaut and current middleweight apex Khamzat Chimaev puts his title on the line against the polarizing Sean Strickland. Before that, however, flyweight gold standard Joshua Van takes on Tatsuro Taira in the UFC’s first all-Asian championship bout.
UFC 328 Main Event
After a phenomenal run at welterweight, which saw him conquer the likes of Li Jingliang, Kevin Holland, and Gilbert Burns, Chimaev made the permanent move to middleweight in late 2023. While many questioned how he would fare against the elite of the division, “Borz” has proven to be a completely dominant force, defeating a trio of former and then current champions in a row in Kamaru Usman, Robert Whittaker, and Dricus du Plessis. Seen as a pound-for-pound great in the sport, Chimaev now looks to settle the score with a former teammate for the whole world to see.
A highly-controversial, but stellar figure at 185-lb, Strickland has been a fixture of the weight class’s upper echelon for years, having traded blows with bonafide legends such as du Plessis, Israel Adesanya, and Alex Pereira. Having once sat upon the throne as champion in the not-so-distant past, “Tarzan” is seeking to reclaim his spot as the undisputed king of the middleweights while handing Chimaev his first ever loss as a professional.
UFC 328 Co-Main Event
At just the young age of 24, Van is among the youngest champions in UFC history, and is seemingly entering his prime as a fighter. With a volume output that is monstrous even by flyweight standards, “The Fearless”’s unyielding striking and cardio have proven to be a difficult puzzle to solve for even the most stalwart of opposition.
Also hitting his stride as a phenom in mixed martial arts, Taira’s meteoric rise has raised him all the way near the top of the 125-lb rankings. With just one final adversary between him and the belt, the Japanese prodigy is eager to make history as the first fighter from his country to have UFC gold wrapped around his waist.
More Bouts On the UFC 328 Main Card
Rounding out the main card, heavyweights Alexander Volkov and Waldo Cortes-Acosta face off. Then, welterweight top 10 members Sean Brady and Joaquin Buckley. Finally, lightweight veterans King Green and Jeremy Stephens come to blows.
UFC 328 Predictions and Staff Picks
MMASucka staff picks are composed of four of the world’s leading mixed martial arts organizations: the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC), the Professional Fighters League (PFL), ONE Championship (ONE FC), and Dana White’s Contender Series (DWCS).
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UFC picks will include main card fights ranging from four to six matchups per event.
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PFL picks from main cards for both pay-per-views and regular events.
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ONE FC and DWCS picks will feature all MMA fights from the event with a minimum of three matchups.
Staff picks in 2025 were won by Hank Strandberg with a record of 216-119.
Find our UFC 328 picks and fight odds below.
Staff records after UFC Perth:
1. Hank Strandberg: 65-34
2. Frazer Krohn: 57-43
3. Drew Zuhosky: 47-51
4. Andrew Benjamin: 11-10
*Note – not all staff pick for every event*
King Green -350 vs. Jeremy Stephens +285 — LIGHTWEIGHT
| Staff Member | Pick |
|---|---|
| Hank Strandberg | Green by Unanimous Decision |
| Drew Zuhosky | Green by Unanimous Decision |
| Frazer Krohn | Green by Unanimous Decision |
| Andrew Benjamin | Green by Second Round Knockout |
| Staff picking Green: 4 | Staff picking Stephens: 0 |
Sean Brady -150 vs. Joaquin Buckley +130 — WELTERWEIGHT
| Staff Member | Pick |
|---|---|
| Hank Strandberg | Brady by Unanimous Decision/p> |
| Drew Zuhosky | Brady by Unanimous Decision |
| Frazer Kron | Brady by Unanimous Decision |
| Andrew Benjamin | Brady by Unanimous Decision |
| Staff picking Brady: 4 | Staff picking Buckley: 0 |
Alexander Volkov -149 vs. Waldo Cortes-Acosta +129 — HEAVYWEIGHT
| Staff Member | Pick |
|---|---|
| Hank Strandberg | Volkov by Unanimous Decision |
| Drew Zuhosky | Cortes-Acosta by First Round Knockout |
| Frazer Kron | Volkov by Unanimous Decision /p> |
| Andrew Benjamin | Volkov by Split Decision |
| Staff picking Volkov: 3 | Staff picking Cortes-Acosta: 1 |
Tatsuro Taira -160 vs. Josh Van +140 — FLYWEIGHT
| Staff Member | Pick |
|---|---|
| Hank Strandberg | Van by Unanimous Decision |
| Drew Zuhosky | Van by Unanimous Decision |
| Frazer Krohn | Taira by Third Round Submission |
| Andrew Benjamin | Van by Fourth Round Knockout |
| Staff picking Taira: 1 | Staff picking Van: 3 |
Khamzat Chimaev -600 vs. Sean Strickland +425 — MIDDLEWEIGHT
| Staff Member | Pick |
|---|---|
| Hank Strandberg | Chimaev by Unanimous Decision |
| Drew Zuhosky | Chimaev by Unanimous Decision |
| Frazer Krohn | Chimaev by Fourth Round Knockout |
| Andrew Benjamin | Chimaev by Third Round Submission |
| Staff picking Chimaev: 4 | Staff Picking Strickland: 0 |
