Cameras Catch Sean Strickland Apologizing to Khamzat Chimaev After UFC 328

In one of the more shocking UFC upsets in recent memory, Sean Strickland defeated Khamzat Chimaev to capture the middleweight championship for the second time in his career.

Strickland earned a split-decision victory, with two of the three judges awarding him a 10-9 in Round 5, in addition to all three judges scoring him Rounds 2 and 3.

Chimaev recorded nine takedowns in the bout but managed just over seven minutes of control time, while Strickland accumulated a little over three minutes of his own.

Strickland also outpaced him in total and significant strikes, particularly in the stand-up exchanges, where much of the fight took place - an unexpected development given Chimaev's usual grappling-heavy approach.

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There was significant animosity leading up to the fight, and Strickland, known for his outspoken personality, did not hold back in his comments about Chimaev during the buildup.

However, the post-fight tone shifted noticeably, with mutual respect on display once the bout concluded. Before the official decision was announced by Bruce Buffer, cameras caught Strickland apologizing to Chimaev for his remarks leading into the fight.

"Hey Chimaev, whatever happens, I wanna apologize. I went too far and I'm sorry," Strickland said.

Strickland spoke about burying the hatchet with Chimaev, explaining that after a five-round fight, a unique level of respect is often earned between competitors.

"When you go and fight another man, your soul is just exposed," Strickland said. "When you're bleeding, I want to quit, he wants to quit. You just have this level of respect that transcends race, religion, nationality. You kind of become someone's brother."

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This story was originally published May 10, 2026 at 6:46 PM.