Strickland Defeated Chimaev by Split Decision at UFC 328
Sean Strickland defeated Khamzat Chimaev by split decision in the UFC 328 main event on May 9, 2026, in Newark, New Jersey. The middleweight title fight went five rounds, with scores of 48–47, 48–47 and 47–48.
A five-round title fight
Chimaev used wrestling to control much of the opening round, while Strickland defended more effectively as the fight progressed. The champion found opportunities to jab and land combinations in the later rounds.
The result went to the judges after the full twenty-five minutes. Two officials scored the fight for Strickland, while the third favored Chimaev by one point.
Strickland regained the UFC middleweight championship with the split decision. The result handed Chimaev the first loss of his professional MMA career.
The official cards
UFC 328 took place at Prudential Center in Newark. The card’s co-main event saw flyweight champion Joshua Van stop Tatsuro Taira in the fifth round.
The championship fight was close on the scorecards, with all three judges scoring it 48–47. Strickland’s win came by decision rather than a knockout or submission.
Both athletes had clear arguments for rounds, which explains why the cards split.
UFC’s official event recap and scorecard page confirm the method, scores and venue. They are the clearest sources for this result.
