Analysis suggests Chimaev may have prepared for light heavyweight before late change

Post-UFC 328 analysis suggests Khamzat Chimaev may have been preparing for a light heavyweight debut before plans changed last minute, which could explain his cardio issues in the Strickland fight. Despite working with top-level sports scientists for this camp, Chimaev's conditioning only lasted one round. The theory gains credibility given Chimaev's high-level preparation team. Commentators also drew parallels between Van-Taira and the Moreno-Figueiredo rivalry for a younger generation, predicting future title fights between them. Alexander Volkov benefited from what some considered favorable judging for the second consecutive fight, with close decisions going his way in apparent compensation for his controversial loss to Ciryl Gane.