Sean Strickland defeated Khamzat Chimaev to win the middleweight championship, marking his second major upset victory after previously defeating Israel Adesanya. Despite being heavily underestimated and positioned as a sacrificial opponent for Chimaev's title shot, Strickland prevailed in a closely contested fight that went to split decision with scores of 3-2 in his favor. The fight revealed limitations in Chimaev's cardio similar to his bout against Kamaru Usman, with dominance in the first round followed by fatigue. Chimaev performed better than expected, breaking Strickland's nose and competing effectively in the striking exchanges, though it wasn't enough to secure victory. The author notes that Strickland displayed his standard skillset without introducing anything new, but Chimaev lacked definitive answers to counter it.
Saturday, May 9, 2026
