Sean Strickland's victory over Khamzat Chimaev at UFC 328 marked his second major upset in recent years after defeating Israel Adesanya. The fight followed a pattern similar to Chimaev's bout with Kamaru Usman - dominant first-round grappling followed by cardio issues and extended standup exchanges. Strickland showed nothing new tactically but Chimaev had no definitive answers to his approach. The decision was scored 3-2 for Strickland with judge Sue Sanidad controversially giving the fifth round to Chimaev despite not having judged a UFC event since 2014. Chimaev is now expected to move up to light heavyweight with a potential matchup against Paulo Costa, while Strickland may face Nassourdine Imavov next. The pre-fight hostility made their friendly exchanges during the bout seem inconsistent with the buildup.
Saturday, May 9, 2026
