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Friday’s final check-in ahead of UFC 328 set the stage for a stacked championship lineup. Khamzat Chimaev and Sean Strickland are officially locked in for their middleweight title clash, while flyweight champion Joshua Van is all geared up to defend his title for the very first time, as he goes one-on-one against Tatsuro Taira.

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But before the cage door closes and chaos ensues, there’s always one moment that fans love: the walkouts. The lights dim, the music starts, and everything feels bigger. Some fighters cling to one anthem. Others change it up every time. Either way, walkout anthems reveal a lot about these guys’ personalities before they even throw a punch.

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Walkout songs for Khamzat Chimaev and Sean Strickland at UFC 328

Let’s start with the main event. Khamzat Chimaev doesn’t have a signature walkout track, which suits him perfectly—he’s unexpected, intense, and always does his own thing. Over the years, he has walked out to Russian tunes, Islamic chants, and even A la Menthe—The Laser Dance Song by La Caution, which was an unusual choice.

His title-winning performance at UFC 319 featured a unique rendition of Anthem by Timur Mucuraev, complete with wolf howls at the start. Very on-brand for ‘Borz.’

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On the other hand, Sean Strickland is a lot easier to read. ‘Tarzan’ leans into that American rebel attitude, and his go-to song, Megaraptor’s metal version of When Johnny Comes Marching Home, sounds precisely like something he’d choose. The song is loud, aggressive, old-school, and chaotic, basically Sean Strickland in song form.

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Walkout songs of the co-main eventers

Then you have the co-main. Joshua Van enjoys high energy. For his title bout at UFC 323, he went out to Chief Keef’s I Don’t Know Dem, and he has previously used Tupac’s Hit ‘Em Up. That tells you everything: he’ll go for swagger, confidence, and no fear at UFC 328.

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Tatsuro Taira has the opposite mindset. Calm, composed, and focused. He generally listens to Power to the People by John Lennon and the Plastic Ono Band, which seems like an unusual choice in MMA. No screaming guitars or thundering bass—just cool confidence that will play a major role in this co-main event bout.

Alexander Volkov, Sean Brady, and other UFC 328 fighters’ walkout songs

Alexander Volkov keeps things rooted. His walkout music, Mama by Mama Mi Vse Tyazhelo, is a Russian-language track that he has used several times and is obviously personal. It’s not flashy; it’s about identity.

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His opponent, Waldo Cortes-Acosta, takes a completely different approach. Don Miguelo’s Pila de Bandera, Mozart La Para, and Lapiz Conciente are some of his favorite Dominican favorites to walk out to. They’re energetic, boisterous, and impossible not to vibe with. Honestly, one of the more entertaining walkouts in the heavyweight division.

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Sean Brady tends to keep things gritty. He’s used DJ Khaled’s They Don’t Love You No More, which features Jay Z, Meek Mill, French Montana, and Rick Ross and is essentially confidence blasting through speakers. This perfectly fits his no-nonsense Philadelphia style a 100%.

Joaquin Buckley enjoys surprising people. He often changes tunes, but one of his best choices was definitely Nina Simone’s Feeling Good at UFC 307. Smooth music, and a really intense walkout. He also used Jeleel’s See Me Now, which has a whole other kind of wild energy.

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And then there’s King Green, who often walks out to Kendrick Lamar’s Euphoria, while Jeremy Stephens is all over the place—in a nice way. AC/DC’s It’s a Long Way to the Top, Eminem’s Till I Collapse, and 50 Cent’s What Up Gangsta have all been featured in his previous walkouts. With Stephens, you never know what comes next.

That’s what makes UFC walkouts entertaining. They’re like mini-previews of each fighter’s personality. And at UFC 328, with this much star power on one card, expect some seriously good entrance music before the violence starts.

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Written by

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Abhishek Kumar Das

3,333 Articles

Abhishek Kumar Das is a Senior Combat Sports writer at EssentiallySports, known for his sharp extensive coverage of the UFC and WWE. Specializing as the go-to expert on Joe Rogan, Abhishek provides nuanced reporting on the evolving discourse surrounding Rogan’s influence on combat sports and its intersection with American politics. Over the past three years, he has built a reputation for delivering timely breaking news and thoughtful analysis, often exploring off-court drama and current affairs tied to the fight world.

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Gokul Pillai

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