Overview
- Strickland, who edged a split decision Saturday at UFC 328 in Newark, regained the 185-pound belt and handed Chimaev his first loss.
- Judges scored it 48-47, 47-48, 48-47, with Strickland outlanding Chimaev 133–98 in significant strikes as Chimaev landed 9 of 13 takedowns.
- The matchup followed a volatile build that included Chimaev kicking Strickland at the press conference and prompted the UFC to add extra security.
- After the fight, Dana White said Chimaev told him he intends to move to light heavyweight, making an immediate middleweight rematch unlikely.
- Tristar coach Firas Zahabi publicly invited Chimaev to train in Montreal to sharpen conditioning and striking as contenders line up for Strickland’s first defense.