Controversy struck the octagon at UFC 328, as the middleweight title fight between Khamzat Chimaev and Sean Strickland left fans and analysts debating the judges' scorecards. The main event in Newark, N.J., ended in a split decision, awarding Strickland the championship for the second time in his UFC career—but was it the right call?

The action kicked off with a dominant first round from the incumbent champion, Chimaev, who wasted no time securing a takedown within the first 15 seconds. He controlled the ground game for the entire round, working for a rear-naked choke and keeping Strickland on the defensive. It was a clear statement of intent, and many expected the fight to end early.

But from Round 2 onward, the momentum shifted. The next four rounds were fiercely competitive, with both fighters trading blows and grappling exchanges. After 25 minutes, the official judges submitted dueling 48-47 scores—two in favor of Strickland, one for Chimaev. The final round created the dissension, while Rounds 1 through 4 were scored identically on all three cards.

The media's take only added to the confusion. According to MMA Decisions, 24 reporters submitted scores: 12 had Chimaev winning 48-47, 10 scored it 49-47 for Strickland, and two outlier cards showed 48-46 for Chimaev and 49-46 for Strickland. With such a split, it's no wonder the decision sparked heated debate.

MMA Junkie's panel of experts—Farah Hannoun, Danny Segura, and Matthew Wells—broke down the fight round by round to shed light on the scoring. Wells noted that Round 1 was the most decisive, with Chimaev's takedown and ground control setting the tone. "I thought this was going to be over well before the final horn," he said. "Chimaev worked to submit Strickland with a choke, but there wasn't much damage."

Hannoun echoed that sentiment, calling Round 1 the easiest to score. "Chimaev came out and did what everyone expected him to—take Strickland down with ease. He took his back and worked for the rear-naked choke for almost the entire round." Segura was even more blunt: "It's pretty clear who won this one. If you judge it the other way, you outright don't know anything about scoring in MMA."

Whether you agree with the judges or not, one thing is certain: UFC 328 delivered a main event that will be talked about for weeks. For fans looking to gear up like their favorite fighters, check out our latest collection of fight-ready apparel—because every round counts, on and off the mat.