Sean Strickland may have walked out of Newark with the UFC middleweight belt, but the fallout from UFC 328 suggests the controversy surrounding his split decision win over Khamzat Chimaev is only beginning.
The five round main event at the Prudential Center delivered one of the most debated scorecards of the year, with fans, fighters, and analysts immediately splitting into two camps after Strickland was awarded a razor thin victory by scores of 48-47, 47-48, and 48-47. The defeat marked the first loss of Chimaev’s professional MMA career and instantly triggered outrage across the combat sports world.
Former UFC light heavyweight champion Jiri Prochazka became one of the loudest voices criticizing the outcome after watching Chimaev’s performance against Strickland. Prochazka openly questioned the scoring and slammed what he believed was a flawed interpretation of effective grappling and cage control, adding fuel to an already explosive debate surrounding the middleweight title fight.
The backlash intensified when lightweight contender Arman Tsarukyan publicly backed Chimaev following the result. Tsarukyan, who trained alongside Chimaev before UFC 328, insisted “everyone watching knows what really happened,” suggesting the judges got the fight wrong despite Strickland reclaiming the championship.
But Strickland slowly changed the rhythm of the contest with his trademark jab, relentless pace, and improved defensive wrestling. By the championship rounds, the fight had evolved into a tactical war where every exchange became critical to the final scorecards. Judges ultimately sided with Strickland in two of the three cards, giving him his second UFC middleweight title reign.
The decision immediately ignited social media chaos.
Across MMA forums and online discussions, fans argued over whether Chimaev’s takedowns and control outweighed Strickland’s striking output and late-round pressure. Several media scorecards also reflected the divide, with a near even split among analysts scoring the bout for either fighter.
The controversy surrounding the fight was amplified by an already tense fight week. UFC 328 had been filled with drama before the cage door even closed, including conspiracy theories about Chimaev’s weigh in and heightened security measures around both camps. Questions about whether Chimaev properly made championship weight circulated online after footage from the weigh ins went viral.
That revelation only complicated the narrative further.
For Strickland supporters, fighting injured and still surviving Chimaev’s wrestling attack strengthened the legitimacy of the win. For Chimaev supporters, however, the result remained impossible to accept given the champion’s early dominance and control throughout major portions of the fight.
Now the UFC faces massive pressure regarding what comes next.
A rematch already appears inevitable after the razor-close nature of the contest and the public backlash that followed. Chimaev himself hinted at unfinished business after the loss while also teasing a possible move to light heavyweight.
The UFC rarely ignores this level of controversy, especially when a pay per view main event produces such a divided reaction among fighters and fans. With Prochazka, Tsarukyan, and several other prominent names openly disputing the judges’ verdict, UFC president Dana White may have little choice but to book an immediate second fight between Strickland and Chimaev.
If that happens, the rematch could become one of the biggest MMA events of 2026.
Strickland’s gritty striking and relentless pressure proved enough to edge the scorecards at UFC 328, but Chimaev’s supporters believe the undefeated star was robbed of a successful title defense. The only certainty after Newark is that the rivalry is far from finished, and the controversy surrounding the decision has transformed an already heated matchup into one of the UFC’s most explosive feuds.
