Khamzat Chimaev's first-round striking defense nearly perfect in UFC career

Khamzat Chimaev has proven nearly untouchable in first rounds throughout his UFC career, absorbing only 24 significant strikes across nine fights. Gilbert Burns accounted for 18 of those 24 landed strikes, making him the only opponent to land meaningful offense early. Five of Chimaev's nine UFC opponents, including current middleweight champion Dricus Du Plessis, failed to land a single significant strike in the opening round. This defensive dominance sets the stage for his upcoming bout with Sean Strickland, with opinions divided on whether Strickland's jab-heavy style can disrupt these statistics.