The champion's word! Poatan explains the plan for Strickland to beat Chimaev at UFC 328; understand it.

Alex Poatán He was Strickland's corner man in the main event of UFC 312. Photo: Jeff Bottari/Zuffa LLC

Determined to become the first fighter to win. Khamzat Shimaev and reclaim the middleweight title (up to 83,9 kg) in the main event of UFC 328, Sean Strickland He had very special support during his preparation for the fight. One of the most popular and successful names today, Alex Poatán He dedicated some training sessions to helping his former opponent and, incidentally, sharing his opinions regarding the duel next Saturday (9). The meeting was recorded in the latest edition of Countdown, published by the official Ultimate channel last Sunday (3).

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For the former middleweight (up to 83,9 kg) and light heavyweight (up to 93 kg) champion, it is crucial that the American sticks to the basics of his style to frustrate the Chechen's strategy. Known for his high volume of strikes and excellent physical conditioning, Strickland usually exhausts his opponents before defeating them in the final rounds.

"Before our fight, I could see the transformation in his face in the octagon. He's a warrior. We trained together for the first time after our fight, and I learned a lot from him. He's a very experienced guy. I'm rooting for him." Sean Strickland"Absolutely. Everyone knows that. He needs to maintain his posture, be careful with takedowns, and use his jab and front punch well. I'm very excited for this fight, motivated, and I hope he comes out with the victory," declared the Brazilian.

👀💥 Alex Pereira says Sean Strickland needs to use more jabs and teeps against Khamzat:

"Everyone knows I am rooting for Strickland. He's got to stay composed, keep pressing forward, stay alert, watch for take downs, and use his jab and front kicks."

🎥 @ufc pic.twitter.com/pKb2lZiwL4

— Home of Fight (@Home_of_Fight) May 4, 2026

In addition to Poatan, Strickland has also trained with Chimaev.

Sean Strickland e Khamzat Shimaev will face each other in UFC 328. Photo: SUPER FIGHTS montage.

Before their clash, the two stars of the main event... UFC 328 They had already shared training sessions when the Chechen trained at Extreme Couture, the gym where Strickland still trains today. Although they got along well at first, they quickly began to disagree on each other's attitudes. Over time, they became true rivals. More recently, the American even stated that would shoot at the rival in the event of a street fight.