In a fight that had fans on the edge of their seats at UFC 328, Sean Strickland pulled off one of the biggest upsets of the year by edging out Khamzat Chimaev via split decision to claim the middleweight title. But according to former champion Daniel Cormier, Strickland could have made his victory even more definitive with one key adjustment.
Strickland entered the bout as the underdog against the undefeated Chimaev, but he proved his mettle with a gritty performance at Prudential Center in Newark, N.J. The fight was a back-and-forth war, with Chimaev dominating early with takedowns and control time, while Strickland relied on his sharp jab to keep the pressure on.
Cormier, a UFC Hall of Famer, broke down the fight on his YouTube channel and pointed to a critical moment in Round 2. After Chimaev scored an early takedown in Round 1, Strickland reversed a labored takedown attempt in the second round and found himself in top position. Instead of pressing the attack, he allowed Chimaev back to his feet before defending another exhausted takedown and closing out the round on top.
"Round 2, he scored his own takedowns, and Round 3, he controlled the fight with the jab," Cormier said. "Honestly, I thought Strickland made a mistake in Round 3 by not really pressing on the gas. I felt like Khamzat had a bit of an adrenaline dump. If he'd really pressed him, he could have made Khamzat struggle down the stretch."
Despite that missed opportunity, Strickland's jab was the story of the night. Cormier praised the champion's ability to dictate the pace with that one punch, noting that it was "probably the most effective punch of the entire fight." However, he also pointed out that Strickland left the right hand on the shelf, which could have been a game-changer.
Chimaev rallied in Rounds 4 and 5, backing Strickland up and reclaiming control, but the scoring criteria—which prioritizes damage, duration, and dominance over octagon control—worked in Strickland's favor. Even with Chimaev logging six minutes of top control time, Strickland outlanded him by 50 significant strikes.
Round 5 proved to be the deciding factor, as two judges awarded it to Strickland, cementing his title reign. The newly crowned champion later revealed he fought through a slew of shoulder injuries and plans to take some time off to recover. For fans and fighters alike, this victory was a testament to Strickland's resilience and tactical brilliance—even if Cormier thinks there's room for improvement.