Darren Till believes Sean Strickland possesses the best opportunity to defeat Khamzat Chimaev in their upcoming UFC 328 middleweight championship bout, though he doesn’t predict an upset.
Darren Till Suggests Sean Strickland Has a Chance Against Khamzat Chimaev, But Odds Favor Chimaev
“Anyone is beatable. Khamzat is aware of that himself, which is why he trains so rigorously; he’s not unintelligent. I don’t see anyone defeating him, but perhaps Sean has the best prospects,” Till stated to MMA Full Mount in his analysis of the middleweight title matchup.
Chimaev enters UFC 328 as a significant favorite (-500) with an undefeated 15-0 record. He secured the middleweight title by defeating Dricus du Plessis. The fighter from Sweden has established his reputation through decisive finishes, averaging just over eight minutes per bout. His wrestling prowess is the cornerstone of his success, boasting a 55% takedown accuracy and an 85% takedown defense rate.
Strickland presents a different challenge compared to Chimaev’s recent opponents. The American fighter made a strong comeback after a suspension and injury, knocking out Anthony Hernandez in February 2026. This victory re-established him as a title contender following his loss to Dricus du Plessis in early 2025.
Against Hernandez, Strickland landed 92 strikes and demonstrated perfect takedown defense, showcasing the defensive skills that characterized his title run in 2023 against Israel Adesanya. At 34 years old, Strickland has averaged 15 minutes and 54 seconds per fight, indicating he has the endurance to go the distance with Chimaev if the fight extends beyond the initial rounds.
The contrasting fighting styles offers Strickland a realistic path to victory. Chimaev’s primary strengths are his ability to close distance and impose his wrestling, while Strickland relies on volume striking and evasion. Till’s assessment implies he views Strickland’s boxing and cardio as potential countermeasures to Chimaev’s grappling dominance, although the betting markets remain confident in Chimaev’s superiority.
Beyond the UFC title picture, Till has shifted his focus. The Liverpool native recently signed a multi-fight contract with the Bare Knuckle Fighting Championship (BKFC) and is set to make his BKFC debut on May 30 at BKFC 90 in Birmingham, England. He will face former MMA fighter and reality television personality Aaron Chalmers. Till’s transition to bare-knuckle boxing continues his post-UFC career, following his Misfits Boxing stint where he won the bridgerweight title by knocking out Luke Rockhold in August 2025.
Till’s BKFC fight is scheduled just three weeks after the Chimaev-Strickland main event, keeping him involved in the combat sports discourse even as he competes in a different discipline at 185 pounds.