Strickland beats Chimaev to regain UFC middleweight crown

Sean Strickland won UFC's middleweight championship for the second time in his career on Saturday night, defeating Khamzat Chimaev via split decision in UFC 328.

Strickland won two scorecards 48-47 while Chimaev took the other scorecard at 48-47 in front of a crowd of 17,783 fans at the Prudential Center in Newark, New Jersey.

It was Chimaev's first professional defeat after 16 bouts.

• Ben Woolliss returns to fight on Sky Sports on May 16
• Not got Sky? Get Sky Sports or stream with no contract on NOW
• Get Sky Sports on WhatsApp

American Strickland, the second former middleweight to regain the title, mimed putting the belt around his waist after the fifth round ended to wrap a fight where neither fighter ever seemed in serious danger. He had help with his shiny new fashion accessory when Chimaev did the honours for him inside the cage.

It was an attritional bout that never rose to the levels of the bad-tempered build-up.

The fighters tapped gloves to start the fight and the prefight hostilities never spilled over into the cage.

The 35-year-old Strickland first won the 185-pound belt in September 2023 and lost it in his first title defence the following January, to Dricus du Plessis.