Khamzat Chimaev Praised for What He Did After Shocking Loss to Sean Strickland

In one of the more shocking championship bouts in recent memory, Sean Strickland pulled off a massive upset over Khamzat Chimaev on Saturday night at the Prudential Center to become the new middleweight champion.

The victory marked the second time in Strickland's career that he has claimed the belt, earning a split-decision win after landing 123 total strikes - 118 of which were significant head strikes - compared to Chimaev's 98.

Chimaev did manage to land nine takedowns, but despite that success, he recorded just seven total minutes of control time. Strickland also accumulated roughly three minutes of control himself, highlighting how little damage or sustained dominance came from many of the grappling exchanges.

All three judges awarded Strickland Rounds 2 and 3, leaving the fight to hinge largely on the final round. Ultimately, two of the three judges believed Strickland did enough in Round 5 to secure the victory.

More news: Ilia Topuria Makes Feelings Clear on Potentially Fighting Conor McGregor

More news: Sean Strickland Sparks Debate With Bold Accusation About Khamzat Chimaev

Despite the heated buildup between the two fighters, there was clear respect shown afterward. Chimaev received widespread praise for immediately taking off his championship belt and placing it around Strickland's waist after Bruce Buffer announced the official result.

Check it out:

"You can dislike someone's style, personality, or trash talk. But respect from another elite fighter always carries weight. Khamzat didn't have to do that, which makes it even more meaningful. MMA culture is different," one fan wrote.

Another added, "Violence for 25 minutes, respect for life."

A third fan commented, "That was a classy move by Chimaev. Respect to him."

"That's what it's about. Be brutal in the buildup, ruthless in the fight, but respectful in the aftermath," another person shared.

One more fan wrote, "Khamzat is truly a great champion and gentleman. My respect to him. He will be back for sure."

More news: Dana White Announces Massive News on Conor McGregor

2026 NEWSWEEK DIGITAL LLC.

This story was originally published May 10, 2026 at 4:49 PM.