A detailed analysis argues that Sean Strickland's victory over Khamzat Chimaev was a clear 3-2 decision, with only one judge (Sue Sanad, working her first UFC event since 2014) scoring it for Chimaev. The piece notes this is Strickland's second major upset after defeating Israel Adesanya, and that he's now earned six victories over current top-15 ranked fighters. The analysis suggests Chimaev showed similar cardio problems as in his fight against Kamaru Usman, dominating the first round before fading. The author questions the pre-fight reconciliation between the fighters after months of building animosity. With Chimaev planning to move to light heavyweight, the analysis suggests Nassourdine Imavov versus Strickland makes sense as the next middleweight title fight, though it wouldn't be the most marketable matchup.
