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Sean Strickland defeated Khamzat Chimaev to win the middleweight title at UFC 328, overcoming a broken nose in the process. The fight was marked by rising tensions between the two fighters, who were once sparring partners.
Photo by Jack Gorman/Getty Images
Sean Strickland stunned the odds and survived a broken nose to claim the middleweight title after five hard-fought rounds against Khamzat Chimaev.
Chimaev, who came into the bout unbeaten, was once Strickland’s sparring partner. But as they moved up the ranks and drew closer to a potential clash, tensions between them began to rise, eventually leading to their showdown in the main event of UFC 328.
Things got heated ahead of fight night. During the pre-fight press conference face-off, Chimaev even threw a kick at Strickland.
In response, Dana White decided not to allow another face-off during Friday’s ceremonial weigh-ins, aiming to keep the fight from being scrapped entirely.
Photo by Mike Roach/Zuffa LLC
A packed New Jersey crowd witnessed a showdown that’s being called one of the most hyped since the days of peak Conor McGregor. Chimaev, who came in as the heavy favourite, was expected to dominate. But it was Strickland who walked away with a split decision win.
Back at the Prudential Center for the first time since his forgettable bout with Paulo Costa in 2024, Strickland was greeted warmly by fans, with ‘USA’ chants ringing throughout the arena.
On top of their support for Strickland, there were plenty of boos directed at Chimaev. The atmosphere felt tense right from the start, with security remaining inside the cage during Bruce Buffer’s introductions.
Oddsmakers set an 18-second line for Chimaev’s first takedown attempt, and he didn’t disappoint—getting Strickland down within 16 seconds. He stayed on top but didn’t do much until landing a late slam near the end of round one.
The second round saw Strickland stay upright longer before ending up on top after defending a takedown. He spent more time on top this round and took some damage before getting dropped late in a close frame where both fighters had their moments.
Sean Strickland and Khamzat Chimaev, once sparring partners, faced rising tensions that culminated in their showdown at UFC 328.
Sean Strickland claimed the middleweight title by defeating Khamzat Chimaev after five rounds, despite suffering a broken nose during the fight.
During the pre-fight press conference, Khamzat Chimaev threw a kick at Sean Strickland, escalating the tension before their fight.

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By round three, live odds had swung toward Strickland as neither man pushed forward much early on until halfway through, when they picked up the pace and traded punches. The fight stayed standing throughout as they again closed strong after slow starts to each half.
The fourth followed a similar pattern, though Chimaev managed another takedown right before time expired without doing significant harm, while both men maintained distance more often than not over five minutes full.
The two shared an embrace at the final horn despite saying beforehand there would be no handshakes or respect shown once business was finished between them. Judges gave it two rounds out of three (48-47) points totals favouring Sean, though Khamzat found support from one card alone (47-48).
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