UFC SNS

Hamzat Chimayev (Sweden) retained his title as the "Undefeated Fighter" after another controversial decision.

Chimayev defeated Kamaru Usman (Nigeria), 2-0, in a middleweight (-84 kg) bout at the UFC 294 co-main event at Etihad Arena on Yas Island in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates (UAE), on Nov. 22.

Two of the three judges saw it 29-27 for Chimayev. One judge scored the fight 28-28 and called it a draw.

The fight was close enough to warrant a draw. Chimayev had the edge in the ground game, while Usman landed some hard shots from the standup. It's not surprising that the fight ended in a split decision in favor of Usman.

Chimayev (right) defeated Usman to improve to 13-0. Photo: AP Yonhap

The first round was dominated by Chimayev. He scored a surprise takedown early in the round and pinned Usman down. Chimayev dominated the first five minutes, taking Usman's back and attempting a rear-naked choke.

But in the second round, Usman's striking began to shine. Usman harassed Chimayev with powerful one-twos and calf kicks. Chimayev managed to land a takedown at the end of the round, but it didn't result in anything significant. 온라인카지노

Round three was more of the same. Usman fended off a surprise takedown from Chimayev to set the tone in the standing position. However, Chimayev showed his dominant wrestling skills midway through the round, taking Usman down and keeping him on the ground for two minutes.

In a bout that was difficult to call accurately, the two judges saw it in favor of Chimayev, who had the edge in the wrestling battle. A defeated Usman had a puzzled look on his face.

UFC social media

Fans also complained on social media. One fan wrote, "Usman won the second and third rounds. The UFC needs new judges." Many fans also commented that if Usman had trained normally and fought a full five rounds, he would have won.

The fight between Chimayev and Usman was finalized 11 days before the event. Chimayev's original opponent, Paulo Costa (BRA), pulled out due to injury, and Usman stepped in. Usman had little time to prepare for the match.

With the win, Chimayev is now 13-0 in mixed martial arts (MMA). He hasn't lost a fight in five years since turning pro in 2018. He also extended his UFC winning streak to eight. Usman lost his third straight fight for the first time in his career, improving his MMA record to 20-4.