A detailed post-event analysis of UFC 328 offers several observations about the main event and other fights. Regarding the Chimaev-Strickland bout, the author notes that Sean apologized for going too far in promoting the fight, but says this doesn't undo the damage to Chimaev's aura. Despite Strickland's trash talk, Chimaev repeatedly extended his hand, smiled, and hugged him, which would have looked impressive only if he had dominated in the rounds. Instead, Chimaev ended up on his back under Strickland in the second round. The post references a theory by Vlad Matveev that Chimaev was preparing for a 205-pound debut but plans changed at the last moment, which might explain his cardio lasting only one round despite working with top-level sports science professionals. Additional observations cover other fights on the card, including comparisons of Van-Taira to Moreno-Figueiredo and comments about Volkov's recent judging luck.
Saturday, May 9, 2026
