A detailed post-fight analysis suggests Khamzat Chimaev may have been preparing for a light heavyweight debut before plans changed last minute, which could explain his poor cardio showing at UFC 328. The analyst notes that despite Sean Strickland's pre-fight trash talk, Chimaev repeatedly extended his hand, smiled, and embraced his opponent, which only looked good because he didn't dominate in the cage as expected. Instead, Chimaev was on his back under Strickland by the second round. The theory from analyst Vlad Matveev proposes that Chimaev's preparation under top sports science professionals wouldn't normally result in cardio lasting only one round, suggesting the weight cut to 185 pounds may have been the issue. The post also includes analysis of other fights on the card, including comparisons of Pantoja-Taira to Moreno-Figueiredo.
Saturday, May 9, 2026
