Sean Strickland's victory over Khamzat Chimaev at UFC 328 marked his second major upset in recent years, having previously defeated Israel Adesanya. The author scored the fight 3-2 for Strickland by clear rounds, expressing surprise at the split decision. Judge Sue Sanidad, returning to UFC judging for the first time since 2014, controversially scored the fifth round for Chimaev. The fight exposed similar patterns to Chimaev's bout with Kamaru Usman: dominant first-round wrestling followed by cardio decline. Chimaev is now expected to move to light heavyweight, potentially facing Paulo Costa, while Strickland's next logical challenger appears to be Nassourdine Imavov. The author criticized both fighters for reconciling before the bout after months of building animosity, particularly Chimaev saying "I Love You" to Strickland mid-fight despite recent heated exchanges.
Sean Strickland retained the UFC middleweight title at UFC 328 on May 9th, defeating Khamzat Chimaev by split decision in a fight that one analyst scored a clear 3-2 in Strickland's favor — while expressing open surprise that the judges did not see it more definitively.
Strickland, 35, now holds a 31-7-0 record and continues to defy conventional expectations. The American southpaw out of Xtreme Couture throws at an aggressive rate of 6.04 significant strikes per minute, relying on volume and durability rather than power. His championship reign has now survived back-to-back high-profile tests, with the Chimaev win following his earlier upset of Israel Adesanya, who carries a 24-6-0 record and remains ranked eighth in the division at age 36.
The analysis draws a pointed comparison between Chimaev's performance and his previous outing against Kamaru Usman — dominant wrestling in the opening round giving way to a visible decline in conditioning as the fight wore on. Judge Sue Sanidad, noted as returning to UFC judging for the first time since 2014, drew criticism for awarding the fifth round to Chimaev, a scoring decision the author found difficult to justify.
A separate thread of criticism was aimed at both fighters for diffusing months of heated public animosity before the bout, with Chimaev reportedly telling Strickland "I Love You" during the fight itself — a moment the author framed as undermining the genuine tension that had built around the matchup.
Why it matters
- Chimaev's cardio limitations have now been exposed in consecutive high-profile bouts, raising questions about his viability as a middleweight title contender
- A potential move to light heavyweight for Chimaev is discussed, with Paulo Costa — who holds a 16-4-0 record and lands 6.26 significant strikes per minute at 58 percent accuracy — floated as a possible opponent
- Nassourdine Imavov is identified as the next logical challenger for Strickland's middleweight title
Saturday, May 9, 2026
