Sean Strickland's split decision victory over Khamzat Chimaev at UFC 328 marks his second major upset in recent years, following his win over Israel Adesanya. The detailed analysis suggests Strickland won clearly 3-2 on rounds, with surprise at the split decision. Judge Sue Sanidad, a BJJ instructor who last worked a UFC event in 2014, controversially scored the fifth round for Chimaev. The post notes Chimaev showed similarities to his Usman fight with a dominant first round followed by cardio issues. Strickland displayed his standard skill set with no new techniques, but Chimaev had no ultimate answers. Following the loss, Chimaev is reportedly moving up to light heavyweight, with Paulo Costa mentioned as a potential opponent. For Strickland, a rematch with Nassourdine Imavov is suggested as a logical next step, with Strickland now having six wins over current top-15 middleweights.
Saturday, May 9, 2026
