13 of 24 journalists scored Chimaev-Strickland for Chimaev

Thirteen of 24 media members who submitted scorecards for the UFC 328 middleweight title fight on May 9 sided with Khamzat Chimaev over champion Sean Strickland, revealing a sharp divide among observers about how the championship bout unfolded.

Strickland, 35, entered the fight as the reigning middleweight champion, carrying a 31-7-0 record into the contest. The American, who trains out of Xtreme Couture, stands six-foot-one with a 76-inch reach and has built his reputation on high-volume striking, averaging 6.04 significant strikes landed per minute. His 42 percent striking accuracy reflects an aggressive output-first approach.

Chimaev, 32, came in as the division's top-ranked contender and sat at number ten in the pound-for-pound rankings with an undefeated-until-recently 15-1-0 record fighting out of the UAE under Allstars Training Center. At six-foot-two with a 75-inch reach, "Borz" blends elite grappling with precise striking, averaging 5.29 takedowns per 15 minutes and posting a remarkable 60 percent striking accuracy — a combination that makes him one of the most multi-dimensional threats in the division.

Why it matters

• Eleven of the 24 media scorecards went to Strickland, underscoring how genuinely close the bout was round-by-round.
• The split among journalists suggests either fighter could reasonably have received the nod from the official judges, raising questions about the championship rounds.
• A tight media verdict in a title fight at this level carries real ranking implications, particularly given Chimaev's pound-for-pound placement and Strickland's status as champion.
• The style contrast — Strickland's volume output versus Chimaev's grappling pressure and accuracy — likely made clean scoring difficult across five rounds.