Sean Strickland did the impossible. Twice.
For the second time in three years, Strickland waltzed into a UFC title fight as a massive underdog and waltzed out of the cage with the middleweight title wrapped around his waist. In 2023, Israel Adesanya was the dominant champion whom Strickland toppled in a result few saw coming, and on Saturday night at UFC 328, it was Khamzat Chimaev’s turn to suffer the wrath of the division’s ultimate spoiler.
Using a mix of his relentless Philly Shell-esque striking and a masterful command of defensive wrestling, Strickland eked out a split decision (48-47, 47-48, 48-47) to hand Chimaev the first defeat of the Chechen’s otherwise flawless MMA career.
Not surprisingly, given how competitive the back-and-forth affair was, Strickland’s fellow fighters were split on UFC 328’s result, with some singing Strickland’s praises and others casting doubt on the judges’ decision. Two of middleweight’s top contenders, Nassourdine Imavov and Caio Borralho, also wasted little time calling for their first shots at the belt.
Check out the reaction to Strickland vs. Chimaev below.
Check out full UFC 328: Chimaev vs. Strickland results and highlights here, as well as Uncrowned's play-by-play for the entire main card.
