Gilbert Burns scores Chimaev vs Strickland for Chimaev

Gilbert Burns has weighed in on the UFC 328 middleweight main event, scoring the contest in favor of Khamzat Chimaev despite the official judges returning a split decision victory for Sean Strickland on the night of May 9.

Burns, the 39-year-old Brazilian welterweight ranked thirteenth at 170 pounds, shared his scorecard and paired it with a public poll asking fans whether they agreed with his reading of the fight or sided with the official result. No elaboration on individual rounds or specific moments was offered alongside the post.

Strickland, the reigning middleweight champion, improved his record to 31-7 with the split decision win. The 35-year-old American out of Xtreme Couture stands six-foot-one with a 76-inch reach and averages just over six significant strikes per minute, one of the higher output rates in the division.

Chimaev, meanwhile, falls to 15-1 and sees his unbeaten run at middleweight come to an end. The 32-year-old, who represents the United Arab Emirates and trains at Allstars Training Center, entered the fight ranked first in the division and tenth pound-for-pound. His 60 percent striking accuracy and 5.29 takedowns per fifteen minutes made him one of the most complete fighters in the sport heading into the contest.

Why it matters

• The split decision result leaves room for genuine debate, with a respected fighter like Burns publicly disagreeing with the judges.
• Chimaev retains his status as the division's top contender despite the loss, and a rematch conversation is likely to follow.
• Strickland's championship reign continues, though a narrow split decision does little to silence questions about a potential rubber match.