Media scores split 13-11 for Chimaev over Strickland at UFC 328

Thirteen of 24 media members scored the UFC 328 middleweight championship main event for Khamzat Chimaev, while 11 sided with Sean Strickland, yet the official judges handed the decision to the champion when the cards were read on May 9.

Strickland, 35, retained his middleweight title and improved his record to 31-7-0 with the victory. The American fighter out of Xtreme Couture carries one of the highest striking outputs in the division, landing 6.04 significant strikes per minute across his career, and owns a six-foot-one frame with a 76-inch reach. His volume-heavy, pressure-oriented style has defined his championship run.

Chimaev, 32, came in as the number-one ranked middleweight and number-10 pound-for-pound fighter, carrying a 15-1-0 record and representing the United Arab Emirates out of Allstars Training Center. At six-foot-two with a 75-inch reach, "Borz" is an elite wrestling threat, averaging 5.29 takedowns per 15 minutes and posting a striking accuracy of 60 percent, the highest of the two fighters.

Why it matters

• The 13-11 media split signals genuine scoring ambiguity and is likely to fuel calls for a rematch between two of the middleweight division's biggest names.
• Strickland's retention keeps him atop the 185-pound division, while Chimaev remains the clear number-one contender given his ranking and the closeness of the bout.
• The stylistic contrast — Strickland's volume striking against Chimaev's wrestling and power — made round-by-round scoring difficult, contributing directly to the divided media reaction.
• The controversy adds fresh debate around judging criteria in championship fights where grappling exchanges and striking output are weighted differently by different observers.