Strickland fought injured shoulder to split decision over Chimaev at UFC 328
Sean Strickland captured the UFC middleweight title by split decision over previously unbeaten Khamzat Chimaev in the co-main event of UFC 328 at Prudential Center in Newark, New Jersey, on May 9, 2026. Strickland disclosed afterward that he had suffered a grade one AC joint shoulder separation during sparring earlier that week. The victory marked Strickland's return to the middleweight championship.
Chimaev, winless in zero prior UFC bouts within his 16-fight career, entered as the favorite. He secured a takedown just 15 seconds into the first round, underscoring his wrestling dominance. Strickland rallied in the second round by staying upright and landing strikes, leading to a back-and-forth contest over five rounds.
In his post-fight press conference, Strickland detailed injuring his right shoulder while sparring PFL champion Johnny Eblen at Plinio Cruz's gym on Tuesday. He described lying in bed unable to rest on his right side and avoiding full warmups to protect the injury, a disadvantage against Chimaev's wrestling style. Late in the fifth round, with both fighters bloodied, Chimaev pointed to the mat in a gesture for stand-up exchanges, but then shot for a takedown after Strickland raised his hands.
Chimaev presented the belt to Strickland after the decision. The 35-year-old American drew "U-S-A!" chants from the crowd.
