Sean Strickland defeated Khamzat Chimaev in what is being called the upset of the year, his second major upset after previously defeating Israel Adesanya. The analyst scored the fight 3-2 for Strickland and was surprised it was a split decision, with judge Sue Sanidad controversially scoring round five for Chimaev. Chimaev is now expected to move up to light heavyweight, with a potential matchup against Paulo Costa awaiting. For Strickland, a rematch with Nassourdine Imavov appears to be the logical next step, as Strickland now has six wins over current top-15 middleweights. The post questions why the fighters showed respect before the bout after months of building animosity, particularly noting Chimaev saying "I Love You" to Strickland during the fight.
