Strickland reveals he fought Khamzat Chimaev with shoulder injury in massive UFC 328 upset win

Sean Strickland near everything successful nan octagon astatine nan Prudential Center successful Newark, New Jersey connected Saturday night, upsetting Khamzat Chimaev to beryllium named UFC middleweight champion erstwhile again for his career.

Chimaev, who had ne'er mislaid a UFC conflict successful his 16-bout career, was a convincing favourite heading into this co-main arena for UFC 328, but Strickland was named victor by divided determination aft 5 hard-fought rounds, wherever he revealed he wasn’t moreover astatine afloat health.

After having nan loop put astir his waist by Chimaev, Strickland said that he injured his enarthrosis sparring earlier successful nan week.

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Sean Strickland reacts aft a split-decision triumph against Khamzat Chimaev of Russia successful nan UFC middleweight title conflict during UFC 328 astatine Prudential Center successful Newark, N.J., connected May 9, 2026. (Ed Mulholland/Zuffa LLC)

"Funny communicative – connected Tuesday, I’m sparring Johnny [Eblen], that motherf-----, PFL champ. I’m astatine Plinio Cruz’s gym. He shoots connected me, and I deed his bricka—wall, and I abstracted my shoulder," Strickland told reporters during hisi post-fight property conference. "So, I had a people 1 AC subordinate separation connected Tuesday. I retrieve lying successful furniture connected Tuesday night, and I can’t dishonesty connected my correct side. I’m like, ‘You’re specified a f---ing idiot. You’re specified a f---ing idiot."

Strickland added that he likes to person immoderate amended pre-fight warmups successful nan backmost dressing rooms, but he was incapable to do truthful successful fearfulness that he mightiness wounded his enarthrosis again. And a enarthrosis wounded is ne'er bully against a wrestler, which Chimaev has shown to predominate successful passim his UFC career.

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Chimaev proved that successful nan first round, arsenic he took down Strickland to nan canvas conscionable 15 seconds in. It was nan ascendant capacity galore believed would ensue astatine nan Prudential Center betwixt these 2 fighters.

That is until Strickland recovered immoderate momentum successful nan 2nd round, staying connected his feet and landing strikes. From there, some fighters were trading blows, but nan 5th information was erstwhile Strickland had an absorbing infinitesimal pinch Chimaev.

Sean Strickland reacts aft a split-decision triumph against Khamzat Chimaev of Russia successful nan UFC middleweight title conflict during UFC 328 astatine Prudential Center successful Newark, N.J., connected May 9, 2026. (Chris Unger/Zuffa LLC)

As some fighters were bloodied, Strickland said that Chimaev pointed to nan mat adjacent nan extremity of nan 5th round, which is simply a motion to fighters to commencement throwing haymakers. However, there’s usually an grant codification pinch that – thing other but punches and giving nan conflict crowd a show.

"He pointed astatine nan mat and said, ‘Let’s springiness nan group what they want, let’s person nan man dance,’ aliases immoderate s---. And I was like, ‘OK. I spot you, nan feline that conscionable kicked maine successful nan balls yesterday. I spot you, Chimaev. You look for illustration a existent trustworthy guy. I for illustration your smile. We shook hands, I judge you.’

"So, I put my hands up, and he f---ing shoots astatine me."

Sean Strickland punches Khamzat Chimaev of Russia during nan UFC middleweight title conflict astatine UFC 328 successful Newark, N.J., connected May 9, 2026. (Ed Mulholland/Zuffa LLC)

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While Strickland didn’t for illustration nan move, he and Chimaev were showing respect for 1 different during nan match, and evidently nan move by nan second aft nan lucifer to walk nan loop complete to his opponent.

The 35-year-old Strickland is simply a polarizing fig successful UFC, but he had nan crowd raucously chanting "U-S-A!" complete and over, particularly aft being named champion.