Daniel Cormier reveals mistake Sean Strickland made vs. Khamzat Chimaev

TL;DR

Daniel Cormier believes Sean Strickland could have secured a more decisive victory against Khamzat Chimaev at UFC 328. Strickland won by split decision but missed a key opportunity to capitalize on Chimaev's fatigue in the later rounds.

Key points

Sean Strickland won by split decision at UFC 328
Daniel Cormier believes Strickland missed key opportunities
Strickland's jab was the most effective punch in the fight
Khamzat Chimaev showed signs of fatigue in the later rounds

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UFC

Sean StricklandKhamzat ChimaevUFC 328

Daniel Cormier thinks Sean Strickland could have beaten Khamzat Chimaev more definitively.

Strickland (31-7 MMA, 18-7 UFC) edged out Chimaev (15-1 MMA, 9-1 UFC) by split decision to claim the middleweight title at UFC 328 this past Saturday from Prudential Center in Newark, N.J.

Although Strickland pulled off the big upset, Cormier thinks he failed to capitalize on a major turning point in the fight. In Round 2, Strickland reversed a labored Chimaev takedown and wound up in top position. He eventually let Chimaev back to his feet, before defending another exhausted Chimaev takedown and closing out the round on top.

"You got a Sean Strickland that got taken down in Round 1," Cormier said on his YouTube channel. "Round 2 scored his own takedowns, Round 3 controlled the fight with the jab. Honestly, I thought Strickland made a mistake in Round 3 by not really pressing on the gas because I felt like Khamzat had a bit of an adrenaline dump. If he'd really pressed him, he really could have made Khamzat struggle down the stretch, but he didn't. But he wins Round 3. Round 4, Khamzat comes back and he fights like Khamzat. I thought Strickland's jab was probably the most effective punch of the entire fight.

"The way he was able to control the fight with that jab, showed you how good Sean Strickland is. The right hand seemed to be available, but he never really threw it. Round 3, 4, and 5, Khamzat Chimaev really got on the gas and started backing up Sean Strickland. But if you know scoring, octagon control is no longer a scoring criteria when judging fights. It's damage, duration and dominance. Khamzat showed control when he got him down, but even with the six minutes of top time, Sean still outlanded him by 50 strikes, and a whole bunch of significant strikes."

It was Round 5 that was the difference maker after two judges awarded it to Strickland. The newly crowned champion revealed a slew of injuries to his shoulder, as he plans on taking some time off.

Q&A

What mistake did Sean Strickland make against Khamzat Chimaev?

Daniel Cormier pointed out that Strickland failed to press the attack in Round 3 when Chimaev appeared fatigued, which could have led to a more definitive victory.

What was the outcome of the fight between Sean Strickland and Khamzat Chimaev?

Sean Strickland won the fight by split decision, claiming the middleweight title at UFC 328.

How did Daniel Cormier assess Sean Strickland's performance in the fight?

Cormier praised Strickland's jab as the most effective punch but criticized him for not taking advantage of Chimaev's exhaustion in the later rounds.