Following UFC 328, an analyst raised questions about Khamzat Chimaev's fight preparation and in-cage demeanor. Strickland later apologized for going too far during fight promotion, but the damage to Chimaev's aura appears significant, especially given Chimaev's friendly behavior despite the pre-fight trash talk. One theory suggests Chimaev was preparing for a light heavyweight debut that was changed last minute, which could explain his cardio lasting only one round despite working with top sports science professionals. In the co-main event, Joshua Van and Kai Asakura were compared to the Moreno-Figueiredo rivalry for a younger generation, with predictions they will fight for the title in the future. Alexander Volkov continues to benefit from what some see as a controversial decision in his fight against Cyril Gane, with another close fight scored in his favor.
Saturday, May 9, 2026
