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.
