Strickland defeats Chimaev by split decision to reclaim middleweight title

Sean Strickland defeated Khamzat Chimaev by split decision at UFC 328 to reclaim the middleweight championship. The fight followed a familiar pattern from Chimaev's bout with Usman, with dominant first-round wrestling followed by cardio issues and a shift to striking. One judge, Sue Sanidad, controversially scored the fifth round for Chimaev, but the consensus was a clear 3-2 for Strickland. Following the loss, Chimaev appears ready to move up to light heavyweight, with Paulo Costa mentioned as a potential matchup. Strickland's next defense will likely be against Nassourdine Imavov, and he now holds six victories over current top-15 middleweights.