UFC 328 Analysis: How Sean Strickland defeated Khamzat Chimaev

Sean Strickland emerged from UFC 328 victorious, dethroning Khamzat Chimaev to become only the second man in UFC history to become a two-time middleweight champion. Despite being a massive underdog heading into last night's main event, he pulled off an improbable upset that left the MMA world with its jaw on the floor, but how?

Sean Strickland vs. Khamzat Chimaev: Fight Dynamics

Round one of the UFC 328 headliner went exactly as many had expected, with Khamzat Chimaev securing a relatively easy takedown and racking up control time on the mat. However, unlike Dricus du Plessis at UFC 319, Sean Strickland wasn't content with simply laying on his back while Chimaev rested on top of him. Strickland frequently tried to force standups and, more importantly, never forgot to fight Chimaev's hands to stop him from sinking in a choke. For Chimaev, this was an exhausting ordeal, as he had to both rework his grip and scramble to maintain dominant positions whenever Strickland almost got to his feet.

A similar sequence of events saw 'Borz' tire against a short-notice Kamaru Usman at UFC 294 back in 2023, despite first-round dominance. So, by round two last night, Chimaev's gas tank was all but depleted, and without the cardio to shoot for takedowns with the speed and explosiveness he had in round one, he couldn't close the distance on Strickland quickly enough. This, in turn, afforded Strickland enough time to frame against Chimaev's first takedown attempt in round two, scoot his hips back, sprawl, and exit at an angle. Chimaev, who is usually a gifted chain-wrestler, neither transitioned to a different takedown nor tried to lock his hands together. Instead, he flopped onto his back, pulling guard.

Once he had Chimaev on his back, Strickland pounced with some ground-and-pound, maintaining top control. For the remaining rounds, the fight was contested largely on the feet, where Strickland busted 'Borz' up with his jab and right cross. While Chimaev fought on, even landing his own strikes on occasion, he was less active than Strickland, whose shoulder-roll and Philly Shell proved touch to crack. In the end, Strickland simply wanted it more, and with rumors of Chimaev having had a difficult weight cut, the fight ended with a stunning split-decision in the American's favor.

Where does Sean Strickland go from here?

Now that he's recaptured UFC middleweight gold, Sean Strickland has plenty of options. A rematch with Khamzat Chimaev is possible, but unlikely given 'Borz's' interest in moving up in weight. More probable is either a trilogy bout with Dricus du Plessis, who holds two victories over Strickland, or a rematch with Nassourdine Imavov, who is on a five-fight win streak and eager to avenge his past loss to the new champion.