Sean Strickland upsets Khamzat Chimaev to reclaim middleweight title at UFC 328

"The Xtreme Couture mainstay reclaimed the undisputed Ultimate Fighting Championship middleweight crown, as he dethroned Khamzat Chimaev by five-round split decision in the UFC 328 main event on Saturday at the Prudential Center in Newark, New Jersey. All three members of the assigned judiciary scored it 48-47: Sue Sanidad for Chimaev, Eric Colon and Sal D'Amato for Strickland. The disdain and vitriol the two men had shown toward one another in the lead up to the fight was nowhere to be found once the cage door closed behind them."

"Chimaev dominated the first round, where he completed two takedowns, attached himself to the challenger's back, briefly achieved full mount and threatened the neck in the waning seconds. However, he emerged for Round 2 in a diminished state for reasons unknown. Strickland denied his bids for takedowns, racked up points with his jab and forced the Chechen to pull guard out of desperation. Chimaev did not attempt another takedown until late in the fourth round, even as he seemed to recover from whatever troubled him."

"A strategic battle, much of it contested on the feet, ensued over the final 10 minutes. Chimaev landed the heavier shots, but his busier counterpart connected with more of them. Meanwhile, Joshua Van put away Tatsuro Taira with punches to retain the undisputed UFC flyweight championship in the fifth round of their co-headliner. Finished for the first time as a pro, Taira succumbed to blows 1:32 into Round 5."

"Van navigated some choppy surf, especially early. Taira delivered multiple takedowns and climbed to full mount on more than one occasion, but his inability to marry those efforts with damage proved costly. Van's get-up game served him well, and on the feet, he was light years ahead of the onetime Shooto champion. He carved up Taira with blistering jabs, uppercuts and straight rights."

Sean Strickland reclaimed the undisputed UFC middleweight championship by defeating Khamzat Chimaev in the UFC 328 main event via five-round split decision. All three judges scored the fight 48-47, with Sue Sanidad favoring Chimaev and Eric Colon and Sal D’Amato favoring Strickland. Chimaev dominated the first round with two takedowns, back control, brief full mount, and a late neck threat. Strickland denied takedown attempts in later rounds, used his jab to score points, and forced Chimaev to pull guard. Chimaev attempted takedowns again only late in the fourth round. In the co-headliner, Joshua Van retained the undisputed UFC flyweight title by stopping Tatsuro Taira with punches 1:32 into the fifth round.

Read at Sherdog