UFC Picks & Expert UFC Fight Card Predictions
Stake is the best place to bet on UFC, with amazing odds and betting promotions, alongside our free live streams. You can enjoy betting on all the UFC action right here with the latest MMA odds when you join Stake Sportsbook.
UFC 328: Chimaev vs. Strickland - UFC Predictions & MMA Betting Odds
Another huge UFC card is just around the corner, with 2 title fights and plenty more action to look forward to. Recently crowned flyweight champion Joshua Van takes on Tatsuo Taira in the co-main, while the main event is a hugely anticipated fight between undefeated middleweight champion Khamzat Chimaev and former champion Sean Strickland. You can bet on every fight here at Stake, and check out our fight analysis and predictions below.
When & Where is UFC 328: Chimaev vs. Strickland?
UFC 328: Chimaev vs. Strickland is scheduled for 9 May and will be held at the Prudential Center in Newark, New Jersey, United States.
UFC 328 Card Picks & Odds
Main Card
Khamzat Chimaev vs. Sean Strickland - Chimaev by KO/TKO
Joshua Van vs. Tatsuro Taira - Taira by submission
Alexander Volkov vs. Waldo Cortes-Acosta - Volkov by decision
Sean Brady vs. Joaquin Buckley - Sean Brady by decision
King Green vs. Jeremy Stephens - Green by KO/TKO
Prelims
Jan Blachowicz vs. Bogdan Guskov - Guskov by decision
Ateba Gautier vs. Osman Diaz - Gautier by KO/TKO
Joel Álvarez vs. Yaroslav Amosov - Álvarez by decision
Grant Dawson vs. Mateusz Rębecki - Dawson by decision
Pat Sabatini vs William Gomis - Sabatini by submission
Early Prelims
Roman Kopylov vs. Marco Tulio - Tulio by decision
Clayton Carpenter vs. Jose Ochoa - Ochoa by decision
Baisangur Susurkaev vs. Djorden Santos - Susurkaev by KO/TKO
Jim Miller vs. Jared Gordon - Gordon by decision
Previous Fights & Fighter History
Khamzat Chimaev
Fans knew Chimaev would eventually hold the title when he first appeared in the UFC in 2020. Since then, he’s kept his undefeated record, going 15-0, with 9 wins in the UFC. In his last fight, he finally claimed the middleweight title, dominating Dricus Du Plessis for the entire 5-rounds. Of his 9 fights in the UFC, Chimaev has won 2 by KO/TKO and 4 by submission. He sets an extremely high pace, especially in the first round, with relentless grappling. Based on his record, he’s a significant betting favourite for his first title defense according to the latest UFC odds. However, as his fight with Kamaru Usman showed, if you can stop his wrestling threat, Khamzat slows down in later rounds, and Strickland’s durability could also be a factor.
Sean Strickland
Strickland has a 30-7 pro MMA record, with 17 wins and 7 losses in the UFC. He previously fought at welterweight, but since moving to the middleweight division, he has looked much better. In 2023, Strickland won the middleweight belt from Israel Adesanya before losing a split decision to Dricus Du Plessis. Although he lost the rematch to Du Plessis, he won his most recent fight by stoppage against Anthony Hernandez. Strickland has 6 stoppage wins in the UFC, but 65% of his wins have been by decision, and he’s only been stopped twice. His takedown defense will need to be elite to handle Khamzat’s grappling, but if he can take it into the later rounds and use his pressure to set the pace, he has a chance of upsetting the betting odds.
Joshua Van
Van went on an impressive run through the UFC men’s flyweight division, winning 9 fights and losing just once to Charles Johnson. His wins included a stoppage against Bruno Silva and a unanimous decision against Brand Royval. In his last fight, Van won the championship belt by defeating Alexandre Pantoja due to an arm injury caused by a takedown. Overall, Van is now 16-2, and has knockout power, with an impressive 50% of his career wins coming by way of KO/TKO.
Tatsuro Taira
Former Shooto Flyweight champion Taira arrived in the UFC in 2022 and quickly established himself as one of the best in the division. He secured stoppage wins against Carlos Hernandez, Alex Perez, and Brandon Moreno. He’s now 8-1 in the UFC, with his only career loss being a split decision against Brandon Royval in 2024. Of those 8 wins, 6 have been by way of stoppage. His submission skills are particularly impressive, with 44% of his career wins by submission. Meanwhile, Taira’s overall career record is 18-1.
Types of UFC Bets & How to Bet on UFC & MMA
If you want to start betting on UFC fights, you can read our MMA betting guide. Our ultimate guide to sports betting is also a great place to start if you’re a complete beginner. Alternatively, follow these quick steps to place your first bets:
Use a secure passkey to access your Stake.com account or create a new account.
Check the balance of your account, and if necessary, deposit funds into your account using either local currency or a wide range of cryptocurrencies. Stake supports Swap Crypto to make it easy to exchange currencies, although platforms like MoonPay and Swapped.com are also an option, while seamless integration with Swap Connect or Mesh is possible. Once your funds arrive, the Stake Vault will keep them secure.
Search for the fighter you want to bet on, or use the menu to look up MMA > UFC and check all the live and upcoming events to bet on.
Select an event, then choose any of the fights and add a bet to your bet slip.
Enter your stake, check your potential payout, and confirm to place your bet.
For any given fight, you’ll find several betting markets, including:
Winning method
Winning method (double chance)
Winner and exact rounds
Will the fight go the distance?
Bet on MMA with Best Odds & UFC Betting Promotions
For MMA fights, you can always find the best moneyline odds at Stake Sportsbook. We also offer our users a wide variety of betting promotions that can be claimed before making wagers. Naturally, as an official UFC sponsor, we also have MMA-specific promotions, including split-decision insurance, which refunds your stake on pre-match single bets on the match winner market if your pick loses a split decision. There are also exclusive rewards such as regular rakeback, reload bonuses and your own VIP host available from the Stake VIP Club as you level up your account. Find out more on the VIP FAQ page.
When you bet at Stake, we make sure you have everything you need to have fun and be safe, as you bet responsibly. That’s why we have tools like a gambling calculator to help you stick to your budget. As well as resources such as ourStake Smart page to make sure everyone understands how to bet responsibly.
Watch UFC Live & Free on Stake.com!
In addition to betting on UFC fights, you can also live-stream fights right on the Stake platform. If you see a stream logo next to a fight, you’ll be able to watch it live once it begins. Follow the action as it happens, or place live bets. Every UFC event, including UFC Freedom 250, offers pre-fight and live betting options.
