Hours after his grueling split decision victory over Khamzat Chimaev at UFC 328, Sean Strickland shared a photo on social media showing his battered face. The image revealed significant facial damage sustained during the five-round championship fight. Strickland captioned the post simply with 'Best job in the world,' displaying his characteristic dry humor and appreciation for his career as a professional fighter. The photo highlighted the physical toll of championship-level MMA competition while Strickland maintained a positive, almost sardonic attitude about the brutal nature of his profession. His visible injuries included what appeared to be a broken nose and substantial swelling.
Sean Strickland offered the world a raw look at the cost of championship fighting on Saturday, posting a photo of his battered face to social media just hours after his grueling split decision win over Khamzat Chimaev at UFC 328. The image showed significant facial damage, including what appeared to be a broken nose and heavy swelling, earned across five rounds of middleweight championship combat. Strickland captioned the post with his characteristic dry wit: "Best job in the world."
Strickland, 35, improved to 31-7-0 with the victory, retaining the UFC middleweight title. The American fighter out of Xtreme Couture stands six-foot-one with a 76-inch reach and fights out of an orthodox stance. He averages an aggressive 6.04 significant strikes per minute, a volume that likely made the difference across a long championship fight despite absorbing considerable punishment in return.
Chimaev, 32, suffered just the second loss of his professional career, falling to 15-1-0. Fighting out of Allstars Training Center and representing the United Arab Emirates, "Borz" entered the contest ranked first in the middleweight division and tenth in the pound-for-pound rankings. At six-foot-two with a 75-inch reach, Chimaev brought an elite grappling threat to the cage, averaging 5.29 takedowns per 15 minutes alongside a striking accuracy of 60 percent. He was always capable of ending the fight at any moment.
Why it matters
- Strickland survives his most dangerous title defense to date, reinforcing his standing as middleweight champion
- Chimaev's first loss in over four years reshapes the 185-pound division's contender landscape
- The split decision result and visible damage to Strickland suggest a closely contested fight that may fuel immediate rematch discussion
- Strickland's social media post underscores his public persona and keeps him visible between fight cycles
Saturday, May 9, 2026
