Strickland's upset win over Chimaev analyzed as second major surprise victory

Sean Strickland secured his second major upset victory, having previously shocked Israel Adesanya, despite being heavily underestimated by observers. The analyst notes that Strickland displayed his typical skill set with no significant changes, but Chimaev lacked ultimate answers to counter it. Parallels are drawn to Chimaev's fight against Kamaru Usman, which showed similar cardio issues after a dominant first round. The fight was scored 3-2 in favor of Strickland by most observers, though one judge controversially gave the fifth round to Chimaev. Post-fight, Chimaev indicated plans to move to light heavyweight rather than pursue a rematch. A potential rematch with Nassourdine Imavov is suggested as a logical next step for Strickland's title reign.