According to media scorecards, 13 of 24 journalists scored the Chimaev vs. Strickland fight in favor of Khamzat Chimaev. This indicates significant disagreement among media members about the outcome of the closely contested bout. The split decision demonstrates how competitive the fight was, with journalists nearly evenly divided on who deserved the victory. The official judges awarded the fight to Strickland by split decision, but the media scoring shows the fight could have reasonably gone either way.
Thirteen of 24 media members scored Saturday night's middleweight title fight in favor of Khamzat Chimaev, revealing just how razor-thin the margin was when Sean Strickland retained his championship at UFC 328 on May 9.
The official judges awarded the bout to Strickland by split decision, keeping the belt around the waist of "Tarzan," who improves to 31-7-0. The 35-year-old American, who trains out of Xtreme Couture, carries a volume-heavy striking game — landing 6.04 significant strikes per minute — and entered the fight as the reigning middleweight champion. Standing six-foot-one with a 76-inch reach, Strickland is a durable, pressure-oriented orthodox fighter who rarely looks for takedowns or submissions.
Chimaev, fighting out of the UAE and representing Allstars Training Center, falls to 15-1-0 with the defeat but remains a significant threat at 185 pounds. The 32-year-old "Borz" entered as the division's number-one contender and ranked tenth pound-for-pound. At six-foot-two, he combines elite wrestling — 5.29 takedown attempts per 15 minutes — with sharp hands, posting a striking accuracy of 60 percent. His submission threat, at 1.8 attempts per 15 minutes, adds another layer of danger that few middleweights can match.
Why it matters
- Strickland retains the middleweight title despite the media scorecard split suggesting the fight was genuinely competitive
- Chimaev's first career loss came against the champion, leaving his divisional standing and next move uncertain
- The near-even media split of 13-11 highlights a style clash between Strickland's high-output striking and Chimaev's wrestling-based pressure that proved difficult to score consistently
- The result keeps the middleweight title picture unsettled, with 11 of 24 credentialed observers believing a new champion had been crowned
Saturday, May 9, 2026
