Khalil Rountree couldn't believe what he was seeing at UFC 328. The light heavyweight contender, who served as a key training partner for Khamzat Chimaev ahead of the bout, watched his friend and teammate lose the middleweight title to Sean Strickland by split decision—and it left him stunned.

"This was very hard to watch because I wasn't watching the Khamzat that I know," Rountree said on the JAXXON Podcast. "It was hard for me to count every round and really analyze the fight because I was so shocked. Like, 'What's wrong with Khamzat?'"

Chimaev (15-1 MMA, 9-1 UFC) entered the main event at Newark's Prudential Center as the champion, but Strickland (31-7 MMA, 18-7 UFC) walked away with the belt after a grueling five-round battle. The first round looked like vintage Chimaev—he took Strickland down and controlled him on the mat. But by Round 2, something shifted. Chimaev visibly slowed, even pulling guard, a move that raised eyebrows across the MMA world.

Rountree, who has trained alongside Chimaev and knows his capabilities, admitted the performance left him searching for answers. "The first round was great. The second round things took a big turn," he said. "Then Round 3, in my opinion, after that round was done, I remember checking off in my mind and give that round to Khamzat—I'm biased. Round 4, I was like, 'OK, cool, we're up three going into five.' And then five, I blurred."

Chimaev did find a second wind in Round 3, but it wasn't enough to sway the judges. The scorecards were tied heading into the final frame, and two of the three cageside officials awarded Round 5 to Strickland, sealing the split decision victory.

For Rountree, the outcome was a gut punch—but not a definitive one. "I think that he did enough to win the fight. I think (Rounds) 1, 3 and 4," he said. "I don't really remember watching No. 5. I think if a rematch happens, it looks completely different."

Whether Chimaev will get that rematch remains to be seen, but one thing is clear: the fighter who stepped into the cage at UFC 328 wasn't the same one Rountree has seen in the gym. And for a training partner who knows what he's capable of, that's the hardest part to watch.