For the second time in three years, Sean Strickland defied the odds to capture UFC middleweight gold.
NEWARK, N.J. — Against all expectations, Sean Strickland is once again a champion. Less than three years after his stunning victory over one of MMA’s biggest stars, he repeated the feat on Saturday, this time against an arguably even more formidable and complete opponent: Khamzat Chimaev.
Chimaev entered the fight with an unblemished 15-0 record, widely regarded as one of the most dominant active fighters. Strickland, however, cracked the code that had stymied so many before him. He neutralized takedowns, reversed grappling exchanges, put Chimaev on his back, and wore down the champion on the feet with pinpoint jabs. The performance set the stage for announcer Bruce Buffer to deliver a dramatic scorecard reading, crowning Strickland the undisputed “and new” champion.
The judges awarded Strickland a split decision victory, with scores of 48-47, 47-48, and 48-47. All three judges gave him rounds two and three, and two judges scored the fifth round in his favor, handing him the title.
Buffer’s announcement capped a week filled with bitter trash talk. Strickland had insulted Chimaev’s culture, Chimaev mocked Strickland’s childhood, and a cheap-shot kick from Chimaev during Thursday’s faceoff only added to the tension. After all the animosity was settled inside the cage, Chimaev placed the belt around the new champion, and Strickland began his reign by apologizing for his own harsh words.
“I respect all you guys,” Strickland said. “I should be a better champion when I try to sell these fights.”
For Chimaev, who struggled to make weight, the loss likely signals the end of his time in the 185-pound division. “He literally walked up to me after the fight and said, ‘I want to move up, I don’t want to fight in this weight class anymore,’” UFC CEO Dana White said. “Him moving up is exciting.”
Looking ahead, the UFC heads to Washington for its Freedom 250 card on the White House South Lawn. White highlighted the significance of Saturday’s event amid the first year of the Paramount+ broadcast deal, which has received mixed feedback. “We knew tonight was going to be a big night on Paramount+,” White said, adding of the White House card: “This is the biggest event we’ve ever done by far as far as the amount of people that will watch the show.”
Strickland’s breakthrough came even as the promotion ramped up preparations for the White House card, scheduled for June 14 with President Donald Trump attending on his 80th birthday.
Alongside his sharp-tongued quotes, Strickland’s jab and teep kick have always been his trademarks. But his late-career surge has been fueled by an evolved defensive game. Against Chimaev, Strickland proved his arsenal extends beyond striking. Chimaev opened the fight in typical fashion, charging forward with an early takedown and smothering Strickland for the first five minutes with submission attempts. It seemed Strickland might become another victim, like Dricus Du Plessis, Robert Whittaker, and Kamaru Usman before him.
But anyone who has listened to more than 10 seconds of a Strickland news conference knows he is unlike any other fighter. The sport’s crudest talker has now authored two of the greatest championship upsets. Chimaev entered the night as a -500 favorite, while Strickland’s previous upset of Israel Adesanya in September 2023 saw Adesanya close as a -650 favorite.
Chimaev’s difficulties inside the cage on Saturday mirrored his struggle on the scale. On Friday, he was the last fighter to weigh in, stumbling to the scale just 20 minutes before the deadline, looking dejected despite making weight. The combination of that brutal cut and Strickland’s relentless pressure proved too much for the former champion.
