Sean Strickland won the UFC middleweight title for the second time in his career at UFC 328 in Newark, New Jersey, defeating Khamzat Chimaev via split decision. The fight. Which ended with scorecards of 48-47. 47-48, and 48-47, marked Chimaev’s first loss in 16 professional fights and Strickland’s return to the top of the division after a brief reign lost in January 2024.

Chimaev’s Dominance in Round One

Chimaev, who entered the fight with an undefeated record, dominated the opening round with his signature wrestling. He took Strickland to the ground just seconds into the fight, controlled him at the fence for nearly four minutes, and seemed to be on track for a decisive victory. However, the momentum shifted in the second round as Strickland began to counter effectively.

Chimaev started to show signs of fatigue, opting for a boxing approach rather than continuing his grappling; Strickland capitalized by landing clean jabs and maintaining a steady pace. In the third round. The fight became a boxing exchange, with Strickland continuing to outwork Chimaev. The fourth and fifth rounds saw brief surges from Chimaev, including a flash takedown in the final round, but it was not enough to secure a decisive win.

Strickland’s Comeback and Chimaev’s Achilles Heel

Strickland’s victory was notable not only for the win itself, but for the context surrounding it. He had previously lost the title to Dricus Du Plessis in a similarly controversial decision in January 2024, and his return to the top of the division highlighted his resilience and tactical improvements.

Chimaev’s loss exposed what many in the MMA community had long suspected: his stamina issues in later rounds; this flaw had nearly cost him before in fights against fighters like Gilbert Burns and Kamaru Usman. Dricus Du Plessis had also nearly ended Chimaev’s unbeaten run by waiting out his energy, and Strickland’s strategy of maintaining composure and avoiding submission attempts proved effective in this instance as well.

Event Security and Pre-Fight Tensions

The event was held in a climate of heightened tension due to the pre-fight rhetoric between the two fighters — Strickland had previously threatened to shoot Chimaev and labeled him a terrorist due to his ties to Chechen warlord Ramzan Kadyrov. In response, Chimaev claimed he would “take off” Strickland’s head. As a result, UFC increased security measures at the venue and surrounding areas to ensure the event could proceed without incident.

The fighters met professionally in the octagon, tapping gloves before the bout and demonstrating control and discipline throughout. UFC CEO Dana White noted that Chimaev, after the fight, expressed interest in moving up in weight class.