Sean Strickland defeated Khamzat Chimaev by split decision with scorecards of 47-48, 48-47, and 48-47 to capture the UFC middleweight championship at UFC 328. The author noted confusion about a moment in the second round when Chimaev suddenly fell to his back mid-round, though Chimaev continued fighting afterward without apparent injury. Chimaev appeared to conserve energy in the third round and didn't attempt wrestling at all, contrasting with his 4 minutes and 44 seconds of control time in the first round. The analysis suggests Chimaev was not as well-conditioned for this fight as he was for his bout against Dricus du Plessis, possibly due to the weight cut. The mysterious incident in round two appears to have been a turning point in the fight.
Saturday, May 9, 2026
