Analysis: Strickland's upset victory over Chimaev mirrors Usman pattern

An analysis piece reflects on Sean Strickland's victory over Khamzat Chimaev, marking his second major upset after defeating Israel Adesanya. The author notes Strickland was heavily underestimated and used as a setup opponent for Chimaev to create a blockbuster main event. Chimaev's performance showed similar patterns to his fight against Kamaru Usman: dominant first-round grappling followed by cardio decline and more standup work. The piece scores the fight 3-2 for Strickland and notes surprise at the split decision. Judge Sue Sanidad, a BJJ instructor who hadn't judged UFC since 2014, controversially scored round five for Chimaev. The analysis suggests Chimaev's move to light heavyweight is nearly confirmed, potentially setting up a matchup with Paulo Costa, while Strickland may face Nassourdine Imavov next.