Analysis suggests Chimaev may have been preparing for light heavyweight debut

Post-event analysis has raised questions about Khamzat Chimaev's conditioning after his fight with Sean Strickland, with one theory suggesting he had been preparing for a light heavyweight debut at 93 kg before plans changed at the last moment. The analyst notes that Chimaev appeared to have cardio for only one round despite working with top-tier sports science professionals, which seems inconsistent with proper preparation for middleweight. Strickland's pre-fight trash talk was acknowledged as excessive, for which he later apologized, but the damage to Chimaev's aura may be lasting given how Chimaev appeared overly friendly and conciliatory despite the insults. The analysis also covered other fights on the card, including comparisons of Van versus Taira to the Moreno-Figueiredo rivalry, and noted that Alexander Volkov continues to benefit from close decisions. The post provides detailed fight breakdowns across the entire event.