Former Bellator interim heavyweight champion Valentin Moldavsky has weighed in with his prediction for the highly anticipated UFC 328 middleweight title bout. The Russian fighter believes undefeated contender Khamzat Chimaev, who represents the UAE, will secure victory over former champion Sean Strickland.
The matchup is set for UFC 328, with the UFC middleweight title (up to 84 kg) on the line. Moldavsky, 34, shared his analysis in an interview with correspondent Sergei Sorokin from the Russian sports outlet Чемпионат.
Moldavsky expressed skepticism about Strickland's ability to defend against Chimaev's wrestling. He noted that while Strickland is a versatile fighter, his grappling level does not match Chimaev's. The former Bellator champion suggested the fight could resemble Chimaev's previous bout against Dricus du Plessis.
"Strickland says that Khamzat's takedowns won't work... That's very doubtful," Moldavsky stated. "Strickland is a versatile fighter. But his wrestling level definitely doesn't reach Khamzat's. Of course, maybe he uses some secret methods. But I think everything will resemble Khamzat's fight with du Plessis. Maybe Sean can stay on his feet longer. But I'm practically certain that he'll spend most of the fight on the bottom. I'm expecting Chimaev to win."
The prediction adds another voice to the growing discussion surrounding this championship clash. Chimaev enters the contest with an undefeated record, while Strickland looks to reclaim the title he previously held.
Based on reporting from Чемпионат.com.