MMA analyst Oleg Veshchy shared his reaction to Sean Strickland's surprising victory over Khamzat Chimaev at UFC 328, expressing unexpected happiness about the result. Veshchy noted that Strickland has been underestimated for years, called a "transitional champion," and was fed to Chimaev when the UFC wanted a marquee main event. Instead, Strickland not only avoided being "fed" but pulled off his second major upset of the year, having previously shocked Israel Adesanya. The analyst highlighted that Strickland's win ruined countless betting parlays and that the emotional investment in promoting the fight makes the loss doubly painful for Chimaev due to the inevitable wave of criticism. Veshchy scored the fight 3-2 for Strickland and was surprised it was a split decision, noting judge Sue Sanidad (making her first UFC appearance since 2014) controversially scored the fifth round for Chimaev.
Saturday, May 9, 2026
