UFC 328: Sean Strickland reclaims UFC middleweight title, hands Khamzat Chimaev first career loss

Sean Strickland reclaimed the UFC middleweight crown with a stunning split-decision victory over Khamzat Chimaev in the main event of UFC 328 on Sunday (Philippine time) in Newark, New Jersey.

Two judges scored the bout 48-47 in favor of Strickland, while the third saw it 48-47 for Chimaev.

The buildup to the fight was fueled by heated exchanges and personal attacks, but both fighters showed respect once the final horn sounded.

In a rare moment of sportsmanship, Chimaev wrapped the championship belt around Strickland after suffering the first loss of his professional career. The defeat dropped Chimaev’s record to 15-1.

Meanwhile, the outspoken two-time champion took a moment to apologize to those he may have offended during the promotion of the fight.

“I just want to apologize to my American fans, to my Muslim fans and my Christian fans,” Strickland said during his post-fight interview with Joe Rogan. “I went too f—hard. I’ll admit it. I respect all you guys.”

Chimaev controlled much of the opening round after securing an early takedown and threatening with his grappling.

However, Strickland gradually took over behind his trademark pace and relentless barage of jabs. His cardio proved pivotal as he consistently landed on Chimaev and piled up points over the championship rounds.

The victory marked Strickland’s second major upset in a UFC title fight. His first came at UFC 293 in 2023, when he shocked Israel Adesanya via unanimous decision to capture the middleweight belt for the first time.

—JKC, GMA News