Chimaev puts belt on Strickland after UFC 328 title fight

Sean Strickland is the UFC middleweight champion once again, and it was his former opponent Khamzat Chimaev who personally draped the title belt around his waist following their bout at UFC 328 on May 9. Video of the moment, shared by UFC Eurasia, captured a genuine display of sportsmanship between the two fighters in the aftermath of their championship clash.

Strickland, 35, now carries a 31-7-0 record and reclaims the middleweight throne for Xtreme Couture and the United States. Known for his relentless output, "Tarzan" lands 6.04 significant strikes per minute and works behind a 76-inch reach at six-foot-one. He fights out of an orthodox stance and has built his reputation on volume and durability across a long career in the 185-pound division.

Chimaev, 30 — now 32 — entered the fight as the division's number-one contender and the tenth-ranked pound-for-pound fighter in the world, representing the United Arab Emirates out of Allstars Training Center. "Borz" carries a 15-1-0 record and is one of the most complete threats in the sport, combining a 60 percent striking accuracy with a staggering 5.29 takedowns per 15 minutes and 1.8 submission attempts per 15 minutes. At six-foot-two with a 75-inch reach, he brought a formidable physical and technical package into the title fight.

Why it matters

• Strickland recaptures the middleweight belt, cementing his place among the elite at 185 pounds
• Chimaev's gesture signals mutual respect and raises his profile as a sportsman despite the competitive stakes
• The number-one contender's next move will be among the most watched storylines in the middleweight division