Analysis: Strickland's upset victory exposes Chimaev's cardio issues

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.