A lengthy opinion piece reflects on Sean Strickland's victory over Khamzat Chimaev at UFC 328, calling it the upset of the year for the second time in Strickland's career (following his win over Israel Adesanya). The author expresses satisfaction that Strickland, who had been dismissed and used as a supposed "tune-up" fight, defied expectations. The piece notes Chimaev fought hard and showed no weakness in spirit, and that Strickland used his standard skillset effectively. The author scored the fight 3-2 for Strickland by rounds and was surprised by the split decision. Looking forward, the post suggests Chimaev will move to light heavyweight possibly to face Paulo Costa, while Strickland may defend against Nassourdine Imavov. The author questions why the fighters made peace before the bout after months of heated rivalry.
Saturday, May 9, 2026
