Sean Strickland defeated Khamzat Chimaev in a major upset, marking his second shocking victory after Adesanya. Despite being heavily underestimated, Strickland won via split decision 3-2 on most scorecards, with judge Sue Sanad controversially scoring the fifth round for Chimaev. The fight revealed familiar cardio problems for Chimaev, similar to his bout against Usman—early wrestling dominance followed by fatigue and standups. Chimaev broke Strickland's nose and had strong moments, but couldn't sustain his output. Post-fight, Chimaev announced plans to move to light heavyweight rather than seek a rematch. Strickland's victory opens opportunities for contenders like Nassourdine Imavov, while Chimaev may face Paulo Costa at 205 pounds. The pre-fight animosity oddly dissolved into smiles and handshakes before the opening bell, which seemed contradictory given months of intense promotion.
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