Chimaev loses UFC title, accuses judges of bias

Khamzat Chimaev lost his UFC middleweight title to Sean Strickland by split decision at UFC 328 in Newark earlier this month, marking the first defeat of his professional MMA careerched. The undefeated streak-ending setback has sparked controversy, as Chimaev accused the UFC and judges of national bias in a since-deleted post on X.

“All judges are Americans,” Chimaev wrote. “The organization is American, the opponent is American, and one is Chechen. It’s a close fight, who do you think will win?” The comments divided fans online, as many observers believed Strickland’s volume striking and later-round success justified the outcome. Strickland outlanded Chimaev in overall significant strikes, particularly in head strikes, finishing with a 118 to 52 advantage. He also won the striking numbers in rounds two, three, and five while stopping several of Chimaev’s takedown attempts as the fight progressed. Two judges scored the bout 48-47 for Strickland, while one awarded it to Chimaev.

Shortly after the deleted tweet, Chimaev called for a rematch and warned Strickland. “I’m waiting, tell me when you’re ready,” he wrote. “Next time somebody has to be dead.” When fans accused him of...