Strickland defeats Chimaev by split decision, regains middleweight title

Sean Strickland reclaimed the UFC middleweight championship with a split decision victory over Hamzat Chimaev at UFC 328 on May 9, 2026, in one of the most stunning results the division has seen in years.

Two judges scored the bout 48-47 in favor of Strickland, while a third saw it 47-48 for Chimaev. The win marks Strickland's second reign with the middleweight title and hands Chimaev the first professional MMA loss of his career.

Strickland, 35, now stands at 31-7-0 and re-establishes himself at the top of the 185-pound division. The American fighter out of Xtreme Couture stands six feet one inch tall with a 76-inch reach and fights out of an orthodox stance. He is one of the sport's most active strikers, landing 6.04 significant strikes per minute, and the championship run he recaptured here comes after he had previously lost the belt. His output-heavy style, built on volume rather than power alone, proved effective across five championship rounds.

Chimaev, who entered the fight with an undefeated record, suffers his first career defeat in dramatic fashion. The loss strips him of the aura of invincibility he had carried throughout his professional career and raises significant questions about where he goes from here in the division.

Why it matters

• Strickland becomes a two-time middleweight champion, a rare achievement that cements his legacy in the division
• Chimaev's first professional loss reshuffles the entire 185-pound rankings picture
• The split decision margin suggests the fight was genuinely close, leaving room for a rematch conversation
• Strickland's volume striking approach proved it can neutralize elite wrestling-heavy opponents over championship distance