Dana White provided insights into Khamzat Chimaev's strategy at UFC 328, saying he wasn't surprised Chimaev chose to strike. White recalled that during Fight Island, Chimaev spoke about his standup skills, and White himself recently noted that Chimaev hadn't fought much in striking exchanges lately. White acknowledged that Chimaev had a tough weight cut but praised him as a tough fighter who didn't quit after a difficult second round. White had the fight 2-2 going into the fifth, which he felt Strickland won. The UFC president's comments suggest weight cutting and strategic choices both played roles in the outcome.
UFC president Dana White shed light on Khamzat Chimaev's puzzling game plan at UFC 328 on May 9, explaining why the top-ranked middleweight chose to stand and trade rather than lean on the elite wrestling that has defined his rise.
White referenced comments Chimaev made during Fight Island, noting that the fighter had long expressed confidence in his standup. White also acknowledged he himself had recently observed that Chimaev had not been engaging in many striking exchanges of late. Beyond strategy, White confirmed that Chimaev dealt with a difficult weight cut heading into the fight, which he suggested may have been a factor in how the contest unfolded.
Sean Strickland, 35, defended the middleweight championship at the event and improved to 31-7-0. The American wrestler-turned-pressure fighter out of Xtreme Couture stands six-foot-one with a 76-inch reach and lands an eye-catching 6.04 significant strikes per minute, a pace that can wear on any opponent over five rounds.
Chimaev, 30 — correction, 32 — enters the aftermath at 15-1-0, ranked first in the middleweight division and tenth pound-for-pound. Fighting out of Allstars Training Center, the UAE-based Chechen stands six-foot-two and carries a 60 percent striking accuracy mark, though his calling card remains his grappling: 5.29 takedowns per fifteen minutes and 1.8 submission attempts per fifteen minutes, numbers that raise obvious questions about why that dimension of his game was largely absent.
White scored the contest 2-2 entering the fifth round and felt Strickland took that final frame to seal the decision.
Why it matters
- Strickland retains the middleweight title, further solidifying his standing as champion at 35
- Chimaev's failure to wrestle raises strategic and physical questions heading into any potential rematch conversation
- A 2-2 scorecard through four rounds signals how competitive the bout was despite the outcome
- The weight cut acknowledgment adds a layer of context to Chimaev's performance that the division will be watching closely
Saturday, May 9, 2026
