Daniel Cormier: Sean Strickland could’ve done more vs. Khamzat Chimaev

Daniel Cormier believes Sean Strickland could have delivered a more decisive win over Khamzat Chimaev.

Strickland (31–7 MMA, 18–7 UFC) edged out Chimaev (15–1 MMA, 9–1 UFC) via split decision to capture the middleweight title at UFC 328 this past Saturday at the Prudential Center in Newark, New Jersey.

While Strickland pulled off a major upset, Cormier felt he didn’t fully capitalize on a key moment in the fight. In Round 2, Strickland reversed a fatigued Chimaev’s takedown attempt and gained top position. However, he allowed Chimaev to return to his feet before later defending another takedown and finishing the round on top.

“You saw Strickland get taken down in Round 1,” Cormier said on his YouTube channel. “In Round 2, he got his own takedowns, and in Round 3 he controlled the fight with his jab. Honestly, I think Strickland made a mistake in Round 3 by not really stepping on the gas. It looked like Khamzat was dealing with an adrenaline dump. If Sean had pushed harder, he could have made things very difficult for him down the stretch—but he didn’t. Still, he won the round.

“In Round 4, Khamzat came back and looked more like himself. But Strickland’s jab was probably the most effective weapon in the entire fight.”

Cormier praised Strickland’s ability to dictate the pace with his jab, noting that although the right hand seemed available, he rarely used it.

“The way he controlled the fight with the jab showed just how good he is,” Cormier added. “In Rounds 3, 4, and 5, Chimaev started to press forward and back Strickland up. But under the scoring criteria, octagon control isn’t what matters most anymore—it’s damage, duration, and dominance. Even though Khamzat had about six minutes of top control, Sean still outlanded him by around 50 strikes, including a significant edge in meaningful shots.”

Round 5 ultimately proved decisive, with two judges scoring it for Strickland.

The newly crowned champion later revealed he was dealing with multiple shoulder injuries and plans to take some time off to recover.