Analysis suggests Chimaev may have prepared for light heavyweight debut before UFC 328 plans changed

A detailed post-event analysis of UFC 328 suggests that Khamzat Chimaev may have been preparing for a light heavyweight debut before plans changed at the last moment. The theory, attributed to Vlad Matveev, argues that Chimaev's conditioning issues do not align with the work of top-level sports science professionals involved in his camp. The analysis notes that Chimaev's cardio appeared to last only one round, which seems inconsistent with proper preparation for middleweight. The post also covers other fights on the card, including comparisons of Van-Taira to the Moreno-Figueiredo rivalry and comments on Alexander Volkov's recent scoring fortune. This theory attempts to explain Chimaev's performance struggles during the fight.