Chaos Creates Cash: UFC 328 & The Business of Hate
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Sorry to burst your bubble, but respect doesn’t sell fights. Hate does.
At UFC 328, Khamzat Chimaev and Sean Strickland exposed what actually moves the needle in this sport. And that’s pure hatred and the thought that anything could pop off at any moment.
UFC 328 housed 17,783 fans in a sold out arena with a $7.5 million gate. A record for Newark, New Jersey’s Prudential Center.
Hatred Creates Cash
And somehow, we’re still supposed to believe that “skill alone” is what draws? No. It’s emotion, It’s tension, It’s the feeling that something is going to go wrong at any second.
Because this didn’t feel like any regular fight build up, it felt like two guys who genuinely couldn’t stand each other. The press conference was chaos, the weigh-ins were one wrong move away from a brawl and then people turned in to the post-fight press conference to see the aftermath unfold.
Over 3.7 million views across just those events on YouTube alone and that’s not accidental and shows that people tuned in hoping to see something real.
Respect Is Nice, But It Doesn’t Always Sell
Now look at UFC 327 in comparison. Jiří Procházka vs. Carlos Ulberg was a high-level fight on paper with world-class talent. But, they didn’t have bad blood. And across the same social media metrics, they didn’t even crack a million views across the pressers and weigh-ins.
Same thing with UFC 326. Charles Oliveira vs. Max Holloway. Two fan favorites, bonafide legends and elite fighters. But respect doesn’t create urgency and it doesn’t make fans feel like they need to watch. Because when fighters respect each other, you expect a fight. But when fighters hate each other, you expect pure carnage. And people pay for that.
That’s the difference. And if anyone still doesn’t get it, go back and look at Conor McGregor. He didn’t just win fights, he made them feel personal. Every press conference felt like it could spiral, every stare-down had tension and he tried to make every opponent’s beef personal. They became a target to what Conor was trying to do, and that’s sell a fight.
That’s why his fights weren’t just events, they were moments. Must-see chaos and the UFC has been chasing that feeling ever since. Luckily for them, that’s exactly what they got at UFC 328.
The ‘What If’ Factor
Because whether it’s real hatred or just sold that way, it doesn’t matter. Fans believed it and belief is what sells. That “what if” factor is everything. What if they swing early? What if security loses control? What if this goes completely off the rails?
That’s what people are buying, not just a fight. Fans are searching for a moment where anything can happen. And yeah, of course, skill matters, championships matter, legacy matters. But none of it hits the same without emotion behind it.
Because at the end of the day, people don’t open their wallets for respect, they open them for chaos. And nothing creates chaos quite like hate. But, here’s the kicker, it was all to create buzz, and it worked.
Was It Real Hate?
Do Sean Strickland and Khamzat Chimaev really hate each other? Following the fight, Sean Strickland had this to say during the press conference:
“I sell fights. Look how boring the UFC is. Do you even know half the roster? He’s a good dude.”
“I made him the most money he’s ever made on a fight. You’re welcome, Chimaev.”
”He’s a good guy, man, you know? But, we’re in the game of fighting. Would you guys really want me to go out there and be like “yeah, dude, Chimaev, you’re a really nice guy! Let’s go have a nice little fight.” No! You want me to go mother-fuck this guy! I do it for you guys.”
It seems like Sean and Khamzat understand one thing. Fake or real, hate sells.
Prior to UFC 328, we published a video on our YouTube channel highlighting that something felt off about the beef — and the real reason behind it:
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