Sean Strickland defeated Hamzat Chimaev via split decision in what is being called one of the upsets of the year, marking the second time Strickland has pulled off such a feat after his win over Israel Adesanya. The author scored the fight 3-2 for Strickland and was surprised it was a split decision, noting that judge Sue Sanidad gave the fifth round to Chimaev despite not having worked a UFC event since 2014. Chimaev showed fatigue after the first round, similar to his fight against Kamaru Usman, and is now expected to move up to light heavyweight. Strickland displayed his standard skillset but Chimaev lacked answers for it. A potential rematch with Nassourdine Imavov is suggested as Strickland's next fight, with the champion now holding six wins over current top-15 middleweights.
Saturday, May 9, 2026
