Sean Strickland defeated Khamzat Chimaev by split decision at UFC 328, marking his second major upset in recent years after previously defeating Israel Adesanya. The post notes that Strickland had been underestimated for years and was considered a "passing champion" before being matched against Chimaev. The fight was scored 3-2 in rounds for Strickland, though the author was surprised it was a split decision, with one judge (Sue Sanidad, a BJJ instructor making her first UFC appearance since 2014) scoring the fifth round for Chimaev. Chimaev showed nothing new strategically and followed a similar pattern to his fight with Kamaru Usman: dominant first-round grappling followed by cardio issues. The victory ruined many betting parlays and secured Strickland's status while generating significant hate toward his detractors.
Saturday, May 9, 2026
