Strickland Left UFC 328 Media Day With a Title in His Sights
Sean Strickland spoke with reporters on May 6, 2026, before facing middleweight champion Khamzat Chimaev at UFC 328. Three days later, Strickland won the five-round main event by split decision and reclaimed the UFC title.
The message before the fight
Strickland entered the media day as the challenger after stopping Anthony Hernandez in February. He said he believed he could withstand Chimaev’s pressure and predicted that patience would create a chance to finish late.
His comments came during fight week in Newark, where the UFC arranged separate media appearances amid heightened security around the main event. The title bout was scheduled for Prudential Center on May 9.
The media appearance was a preview, not a result. Chimaev was still champion, and the two had not yet competed in the five-round contest.
The title changed hands
Strickland defended takedowns after an opening round of Chimaev control and kept the later rounds competitive on the feet. The fight completed all five rounds and required the judges to determine the winner.
Two judges scored the bout 48–47 for Strickland, while the third had it 48–47 for Chimaev. The split decision gave Strickland his second UFC middleweight title reign and handed Chimaev his first career loss.
UFC’s fight-week reporting captures Strickland’s pre-fight confidence, while its official results page confirms the final decision. The chronology links the media-day appearance to the result without implying that the interview itself predicted the scorecards.
