Sean Strickland defeated Khamzat Chimaev by split decision at UFC 328, reclaiming the middleweight title. Discussions are ongoing about a potential rematch between the two fighters.
Key points
Sean Strickland won the middleweight title at UFC 328
Strickland defeated Khamzat Chimaev by split decision
The fight took place on May 09, 2026
Discussions about a potential rematch are ongoing
Mentioned in this story
Newark, New Jersey
Sean StricklandKhamzat ChimaevUFC 328
NEWARK, NEW JERSEY - MAY 09: Khamzat Chimaev of the United Arab Emirates and Sean Strickland of the United States in a middleweight title bout during UFC 328 at the Prudential Center on May 09, 2026 in Newark, New Jersey. (Photo by Ishika Samant/Getty Images) | Getty Images
NEWARK, NEW JERSEY - MAY 09: Khamzat Chimaev of the United Arab Emirates and Sean Strickland of the United States in a middleweight title bout during UFC 328 at the Prudential Center on May 09, 2026 in Newark, New Jersey. (Photo by Ishika Samant/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Strickland-Chimaev rematch is next right? Business was too good for it to be Imavov next or Chimaev moving up to 205.
Man, I hope not. Which means itās probably happening.
Letās get this out of the way: I scored the fight for Chimaev, but it was a very close fight, and I have no problem with Strickland winning. But it wasnāt so close of a fight that it demands an immediate rematch. It was close, it was competitive, and one guy one. It wasnāt a robbery, so we donāt need to re-litigate that fight. Chimaev needs to live with the loss.
And at first, it seemed like he was going to. At the post-fight presser, Dana White said Chimaev was talking about moving up to 205, and that made sense. But heās since changed his tune, reportedly only being interested in a second crack at Strickland. And if thereās one thing the UFC has affirmed over and over again in 2026, itās that championship fights are not based on merit; theyāre based on business.
Q&A
What was the outcome of the fight between Sean Strickland and Khamzat Chimaev at UFC 328?
Sean Strickland won the fight against Khamzat Chimaev by split decision.
When did Sean Strickland fight Khamzat Chimaev?
Sean Strickland fought Khamzat Chimaev on May 09, 2026, during UFC 328.
Is there a possibility of a rematch between Strickland and Chimaev?
Yes, discussions are taking place regarding a potential rematch between Sean Strickland and Khamzat Chimaev.
What impact does Strickland's victory have on his legacy in MMA?
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Of course, thatās not what should happen. Nassourdine Imavov is the obvious next challenger, and he even has real animosity toward Strickland. On top of that, Strickland has said he wants to do the right thing and give the guys at the top of the rankings their shot. All that should add up to Chimaev having to step back and fight someone else first, but will it?
Strickland vs. Chimaev was the biggest fight in the UFC in some time, and while some of that was based on a beef that has since been squashed (and may never have been real in the first place), most of it was based on these being two of the most popular fighters in the sport. Now, the UFC has the chance to milk that cash cow one more time.
Except, it may not. Strickland apparently left UFC 328 with a pile of injuries and may be out of action for the foreseeable future. If thatās the case, I can absolutely see a world where the UFC solves its problems by putting Chimaev and Imavov in a No. 1 contender bout, meaning Stricklandās next fight may be another date with Chimaev.
Whereās the beef?
Was Seanās admission that there was nothing to any of his āWeāre enemies for life, no matter how the fight goesā and all his other bloviations leading into not just the Chimaev fight but most of his fights, going to lead to a Boy That Cried Wolf reaction sooner or later or do we just devour this BS like junk food so much that we will never tire of it?
Well, the fanbase hasnāt tired of it yet, so I donāt see why they would.
At this point, everyone knows the deal with Strickland. The man is going to do his best to sell a fight every time, and that usually involves saying stuff that polite company would not be comfortable with. I donāt even think Strickland actually believes most of the things he says; heās just trying to get reactions. Heās basically the personification of the modern internet: why be genuinely compelling (thatās hard work) when you can get just as much attention by simply saying inflammatory things?
This isnāt new. Combat sports have done this forever. And so, given that, I have to assume that it will keep on working, because it hasnāt stopped working for hundreds of years.
Chimaev at 205
How realistic are Chimaevās chances for success going to be at 205? He looked smaller compared to Strickland, and these 205ers are going to be even bigger than Sean. And would Paulo Costa be the ideal first opponent for Chimaev at 205?
Quite poor. Which is not the answer Iād have given a few weeks ago.
First off, we should acknowledge that light heavyweight is a really bad division. So, if Chimaev does decide to move up, itās not like heād be a lost ball in the high weeds. Plenty of 205ers would simply have no answer for his Plan A. But while a week ago I would have thought Chimaevās grappling would be a problem for anyone in the weight class, now it seems clear thatās not the case.
Iām not going to say Strickland figured Chimaev out, but UFC 328 revealed a truth that has been hinted at with Chimaev for years: he doesnāt have much of a Plan B. If you can minimize Chimaevās takedowns and control, āBorzā is quickly going to pivot toward a fight where he has some tools, but not a lot. And Chimaev wasnāt especially big against Strickland, so moving to 205 is probably a bridge too far.
As for Costa, that is 100 percent the fight to make. If Chimaev does move up, book him vs. Costa in a five-round main event and letās finally settle their beef. And screw it, winner gets a title shot.
Strickland title defenses?
How many times does Strickland defend the title? Or will du Plessis or Imavov take it off him?
I think at best one or two. Strickland is one of the great overachievers in MMA history, but like Forrest Griffin and those before him, winning the belt is the accomplishment; long title reigns are not usually part of the deal.
If Stricklandās first defense is against Imavov, heāll be favored in that bout, but not by a lot. Strickland won their first encounter, but Imavov has improved dramatically since then, so thatās a close fight. And if itās Chimaev, well, he barely beat him this time; a rematch is probably similarly competitive, meaning thatās a coin flip.
And even if he gets past both of those men, Dricus du Plessis is right there, and he has two wins over Strickland, including a pretty big whooping in their second fight. I just donāt see how Strickland puts together an extended title reign.
Jim Miller is a Hall of Famer
Is Jim Miller a HOFāer? Elite accomplishments obviously get someone in, but should longevity accomplishments, albeit at a lower level, do so as well? Donald Cerrone got in and had several longevity accomplishments. But in my opinon, a lot of his induction was influenced by his Cowboy persona.
This isnāt even a question: Jim Miller should obviously be inducted into the Hall of Fame. And not on some Fight technicality; if a guy like Jim Miller doesnāt merit the Hall of Fame, then the whole thing is a sham to begin with.
The point of any Hall of Fame is to celebrate the history of whatever endeavor it pertains to. That, of course, means honoring the greatest to perform in the arena. And while āgreatnessā is most often measured by championships and awards (the latter of which Miller has many), longevity and sustained success are also accomplishments, and very much worthy of honoring.
Jim Miller currently holds the UFC records for Most Fights, Most Wins, and Most Submission Attempts. Heās also near the top in a half-dozen other categories, not including the myriad divisional records he holds at lightweight. The man will almost certainly get to 50 UFC fights, and heās already 5 fights clear of the runner-up (Andrei Arlovskiās 42 at heavyweight is truly INSANE). Millerās record will probably never be broken, and his Wins record also could stand the test of time.
Heās essentially the Frank Gore of MMA, and while Gore may not make the NFL Hall of Fame (kinda dumb), that is a sport with a much longer lineage and many more people deserving of consideration. There are a half-dozen people currently enshrined in the Hall of Fame who are less deserving than Miller, and if we consider only UFC careers, that list grows by a lot.
On top of all that, Miller is also widely respected. Seriously, who has something bad to say about Jim Miller? And while thatās not enough to get you in on its own, you add that to the numerous other things Miller has going for him, and it starts to get hard to find a reason to keep him out.
Simply put, if your Hall of Fame wonāt induct a guy like Jim Miller, then your Hall of Fame sucks, you suck, and I hate you. Jim f*cking Miller, all day.
Thanks for reading, and thank you to everyone who sent in Tweets! Do you have any burning questions about things at least somewhat related to combat sports? Then youāre in luck, because you can send your tweets to me,@JedKMeshew, and I will answer my favorite ones! Doesnāt matter if theyāre topical or insane, just so long as they are good. Thanks again, and see yāall next week.