UFC Fans Outraged Over 'Fixed' Sean Strickland Victory Against Khamzat Chimaev

Sean Strickland snagged a split-decision win that has UFC fans fuming, claiming the fight was rigged against Khamzat Chimaev (Image: Ed Mulholland/Zuffa LLC).

After a week of trash talk, Strickland's victory at UFC 328 sparked outrage online, with fans quick to label the decision as a blatant fix.

What was supposed to be a brutal showdown turned into a surprisingly cordial affair, leaving many questioning the integrity of the sport.

Strickland walked away with the middleweight title after judges scored it 48-47 in his favor, but one judge saw it differently, marking it 47-48 for Chimaev.

Fans were quick to voice their disbelief, with one user on X declaring, “I've seen some rigged matches but none were as obvious as this.”

Another chimed in, “That fight was rigged. What the UFC has become is utterly disgraceful.”

“Eight takedowns to zero, six minutes of control time to two, landed the bigger punches, did more damage, and pressured the entire fight—how is that even possible?” questioned a third fan.

For some, this was the last straw. “Fake and rigged. UFC died tonight,” one poster lamented.

“Strickland did not win that fight. I can’t watch rigged sports anymore… no more UFC,” another user added.

The judges agreed on the first four rounds: Chimaev took Rounds 1 and 4, while Strickland claimed Rounds 2 and 3. The split came down to the final round, with Eric Colon and Sal D’Amato siding with Strickland, while Sue Sanidad gave it to Chimaev.

UFC president Dana White weighed in post-fight, admitting he had it even after four rounds but believed Strickland edged out the last round.

The UFC 328 main event was one of the year's most hyped fights, fueled by the animosity between Strickland and Chimaev.

Yet, the outcome left many fans feeling cheated. “Most rigged UFC card I’ve seen in a while,” one user posted.

Another added, “Embarrassing result for UFC. More rigged than WWE.”