Sean Strickland's victory over Khamzat Chimaev at UFC 328 marked his second major upset in recent years, following his win over Israel Adesanya. The analyst notes Strickland was heavily underestimated and fed to Chimaev for what was expected to be a showcase. Chimaev showed nothing wrong with his performance, breaking Strickland's nose and working effectively in the standup, but couldn't find ultimate answers to Strickland's skillset. The pattern mirrors Chimaev's fight against Usman: dominant first-round wrestling, cardio decline, then standup exchanges. The post suggests a clean 3-2 rounds for Strickland, though one judge (Sue Sanidad, judging her first UFC event since 2014) scored the fifth for Chimaev. Chimaev is now ready to move to light heavyweight, with Paulo Costa as a potential matchup, while Strickland may face Nassourdine Imavov next. The analyst questions why the fighters showed mutual respect before the bout after months of building hatred, including Chimaev saying "I love you" mid-fight.
Saturday, May 9, 2026
