Georges St-Pierre points to a decisive factor in Chimaev's defeat to Strickland at UFC 328.

Chimaev focused before fighting in the UFC. Photo: Reproduction/Instagram/khamzat_chimaev

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Former welterweight (up to 77 kg) and middleweight (up to 83,9 kg) champion Georges St-Pierre came out in defense of Khamzat Shimaev after the Russian's defeat to Sean Strickland in the main fight of UFC 328, held last Saturday (9), in New Jersey (USA). The Canadian legend analyzed the result of the confrontation and highlighted that, in MMA, the best athlete does not always come out victorious.

In a video released by the Kırmızı Köşe profile, while commenting on the middleweight title fight, St-Pierre stated that factors such as preparation, strategy, and performance on fight night can be decisive for the final result. Despite considering Chimaev technically superior, the Canadian acknowledged Strickland's performance.

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“Some people think that the best fighter always wins, but that’s not true. Even if you’re the best fighter, you need to fight in your best shape that night and prepare in the best way possible. There are many variables that influence the outcome.”

In my opinion, Khamzat is a better fighter than Sean StricklandBut that night Sean beat him. And Sean can do it again next time. That's how this sport works,” declared Georges St-Pierre.

Georges St-Pierre: “Bazı insanlar en iyi dövüşçünün her zaman kazandığını sanıyor ama bu doğru değil. şekilde hazırlanmanız gerekir, sonucu etkileyen çok fazla değişken var.

Bence Khamzat, Sean… pic.twitter.com/SV1lXSfUzQ

— Kırmızı Köşe (@KirmiziKoseMMA) May 13, 2026

Current moment of Khamzat Chimaev and Sean Strickland in the UFC

Chimaev and Strickland face off in a tense confrontation at the UFC. Photo: Reproduction/Facebook/UFC

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The defeat marked the first setback in his professional career. Khamzat Shimaev in MMA. Before the UFC 328The Russian had amassed a streak of 15 consecutive victories and was coming off dominant wins on his way to the middleweight title.

On the other side, Sean Strickland He returned to the top of the division after winning a very close fight. The American prevailed by split decision and now has a record of 31 wins and seven losses in his professional MMA career.