Sean Strickland Defeats Khamzat Chimaev by Unanimous Decision to Win UFC Middleweight Title

Sean Strickland defeated Khamzat Chimaev by unanimous decision in the main event of UFC 328 on May 9 in Newark, reclaiming the UFC middleweight title. The five-round bout marked Chimaev’s first professional loss and ended his undefeated record. Strickland competed with a shoulder injury sustained before the fight.

Joe Rogan, commentating cageside, noticed something was off with Strickland’s movement during the contest. After the victory, Strickland posted on Instagram that he had undergone shoulder surgery and that the procedure went well. He initially feared the injury might require an operation that would delay his first title defense.

Strickland visited Danese Rexroad at the Ways2Well clinic, which Rogan had recommended. Rexroad diagnosed an acromioclavicular separation and a small muscle tear, confirming the findings with a scan. “You have an AC (acromioclavicular) separation and a small tear in one of the muscles in your shoulder,” Rexroad said during an Instagram video filmed at the clinic.

Strickland expressed appreciation for the recommendation during the visit. Recovery timelines for AC separations range from about two weeks for a grade I injury to around six weeks for grade II and up to 12 weeks for grade III. Strickland said surgery would not be necessary following the diagnosis.

Dana White has played down the prospect of an immediate rematch with Chimaev. A title defense against Nassourdine Imavov has been mentioned as a possible next bout for Strickland. com, with the last update recorded May 30, 2026, at 8:13 PM ET.