Sean Strickland's split decision victory over Khamzat Chimaev at UFC 328 marked his second major upset in recent years after defeating Israel Adesanya. The fight followed a familiar pattern seen in Chimaev's bout against Kamaru Usman: dominant first-round grappling followed by cardio decline and increased striking exchanges. Strickland broke Chimaev's nose and maintained his standard fighting approach throughout. One judge, Sue Sanidad—making her first UFC appearance since 2014—controversially scored the fifth round for Chimaev, though most observers saw it as a clear 3-2 rounds for Strickland. The result leaves the middleweight division's landscape unchanged as Chimaev is expected to move up to light heavyweight, potentially facing Paulo Costa, while Strickland could defend against Nassourdine Imavov.
Saturday, May 9, 2026
