Sean Strickland Stuns Khamzat Chimaev to Reclaim UFC Middleweight Title at UFC 328

• Sean Strickland reclaimed the UFC middleweight crown after handing Khamzat Chimaev the first defeat of his professional MMA career
• The dramatic title change has reignited discussions around Dricus du Plessis potentially working his way back into championship contention
• MMA fans were left divided by the judges' scorecards, with social media erupting over whether the result was deserved or controversial

The UFC middleweight championship belt, once held by South African MMA star Dricus du Plessis, changed hands on Saturday, 9 May 2026, after Sean Strickland stunned Khamzat Chimaev at UFC 328.

Chimaev had defeated Du Plessis in August 2025 to claim the title, but he lost it on Saturday night to a reinvigorated Strickland after a split-decision defeat in front of 17,783 fans at the Prudential Centre in Newark, New Jersey. The UFC 328 bout marked Chimaev's first-ever professional defeat after 16 fights.

It was also Strickland's second UFC middleweight championship triumph. The 35-year-old first won the 185-pound belt in September 2023, then lost it in his first title defence against Du Plessis in January 2024. The fact that Chimaev was dethroned by a fighter previously beaten by Du Plessis could serve as encouragement for the South African star in his pursuit of reclaiming the title.

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UFC 328 Fans React to Sean Strickland's Victory

Fans reacted online with mixed opinions following the controversial split decision.

@dnvdope said:

"Sean didn’t do anything to take the belt. To beat the champ, you have to really take it off the champ, not throwing tippy-tappy jabs all fight and moving backwards."

@SalvaXVII wrote:

"Khamzat lost one round, if you have eyeballs lol UFC is cooked."

@Aubrey_Senyolo commented:

"Sean Strickland deserves to win, Khamzat supporters can go open a case 😂."

@aelhajjar79 added:

"The biggest robbery ever. Khamzat is the clear winner. Rounds 1, 3, 4 and 5 are Khamzat."

@MerabDvalishvil posted:

"Great fight."

@LungzHimself said:

"I thought Khamzat won round 5 after winning 1 and 4."

Dricus du Plessis eyes UFC Middleweight title return

Du Plessis is likely to have watched the fight closely as he waits for confirmation of his next bout. The South African previously successfully defended his title against Israel Adesanya in Perth and against Strickland in Sydney.

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He originally captured the middleweight title in January 2024 after defeating Strickland in Toronto, Canada. Du Plessis has made it clear that he is not interested in hype-driven or money fights. Instead, his focus remains on bouts that can fast-track his return to the championship.

While acknowledging that the UFC could have different plans for the division, Du Plessis questioned the logic of facing opponents riding only a two-fight winning streak.

Although his next opponent has not yet been officially announced, expectations remain high that Du Plessis could face another top-five middleweight contender as he positions himself for another title shot in 2026.

Dricus speaks out after defeat

Briefly News previously reported that South African UFC Middleweight fighter Dricus du Plessis reacted to his bruising defeat at the hands of the UAE’s Khamzat Chimaev at UFC 319 in Chicago.

“Stillknocks,” who came into this fight as the underdog, put on a brave face despite the one-sided fight and vowed to bounce back.

Source: Briefly News