Strickland apologizes for trash talk as analyst questions Chimaev's preparation

Sean Strickland apologized after UFC 328 for going too far in promoting his fight with Khamzat Chimaev, though the damage to Chimaev's aura appears lasting. Despite Strickland's verbal attacks during the buildup, Chimaev repeatedly tried to shake hands, smile, and embrace him, which only looked effective when dominating in the rounds. However, Chimaev appeared to fade by the second round. Analyst Vlad Matveev theorized that Chimaev may have been preparing for a light heavyweight debut before plans changed last minute, as the fighter's team includes top sports science experts who wouldn't deliver one-round cardio. The loss raises questions about Chimaev's preparation and weight management issues that have affected him multiple times. Meanwhile, Joshua Vann versus Kai Asakura is being compared to Moreno-Figueiredo for the younger generation, with expectations they'll fight for the title.