By Felix Jesus Mendoza
The middleweight category of the UFC has a new monarch after the main event of UFC 328 held at the Prudential Center in Newark. The American fighter Sean Strickland managed to beat the until then undefeated Khamzat Chimaev in a battle that lasted five rounds.
With this result, the challenger recovers the 185-pound world belt and delivers the first professional defeat to the Chechen athlete.
The confrontation began with a marked dominance by Chimaevwho used his wrestling to control the position on the ground.
However, Sean Strickland He maintained defensive calm and avoided the early finishes that usually characterize his opponent’s fights. Starting in the second period, the pace of the fight changed as the American began to establish his distance with the constant use of his fists.
“I knew the first rounds would be a storm, but my idea was to take it to deep waters where I feel more comfortable.”. “This belt belongs to people who work hard and don’t give up under pressure,” said Strickland after putting on the monarch’s belt.
Superiority in hitting and attack volume
Throughout the intervening episodes, the strategy of constant pressure favored Sean Stricklandwho connected a total of 163 hits throughout the contest. The face of Chimaev showed the damage of the punishment receivedwhile his cardiovascular capacity decreased as the minutes ticked by on the clock. Despite suffering nine knockdowns, the California fighter managed to get back up quickly to resume the exchange on the feet.
The final statistics reflected the effectiveness of the new champion, who He recorded 133 power blows compared to the 98 recorded by the Russian fighter.. This volume of attack was decisive in convincing two of the three judges, who handed out forty eight-47 cards in favor of Sean Strickland. The third judge awarded an identical score for Chimaev, thus sealing a victory via split decision.
Card results and title reconquest
In the co-main event of the night, Joshua Van retained his flyweight title by technical knockout of Tatsuro Taira in the fifth round.
Likewise, the day in New Jersey included Alexander Volkov’s victory over Waldo Cortes-Acosta and King Inexperienced’s submission to Jeremy Stephens. These results complemented a card where the fall of the undefeated Chimaev was the most relevant event for the middle division.
With this victory, Sean Strickland He improves his professional record to 31 wins and 7 losses, recovering the crown he held for the first time in 2023. After the official announcement of the result, the new monarch recognized the level of physical demand of his rival and the atmosphere of tension that surrounded the event during the previous weeks.
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