Sean Strickland is an American professional mixed martial artist who competes in the UFC middleweight division.
Strickland faced Khamzat Chimaev on Saturday, May 9 at UFC 328, and took back possession of the middleweight championship title.
Sean Strickland is renowned for his defensive striking skills inside the Octagon. He has a 61.1% defense rate which is one of the highest in the middleweight division.
He is also known for his forward-marching style toward opponents forcing them into boxing range. Strickland has 12 wins by knockout, 4 wins by submission, and 9 first round finishes throughout his career.
Birthday | 2/27/1991 |
Age | 35 |
Country | United States |
Nickname | Tarzan |
Height | 6'1" |
Reach | 76" |
Stance | Orthodox |
Weight Distance | 185 lbs |
Professional Record | 31-7-0 |
Sean Strickland
Sean Strickland was born on February 27, 1991, and he is 35 years old. He turned professional in 2008, when he was 17 years old.
Strickland made his UFC debut in 2014, at UFC 171 in Dallas stepping in on late notice. He defeated Bubba McDaniel in the first round of the welterweight fight.
Strickland's Height, Weight & Reach
Strickland is 6 feet 1 inch tall with a reach of 76 inches.
Sean Strickland has competed outside the UFC middleweight division (185 lbs) since joining the UFC in 2014. His first eight career UFC fights were in the welterweight division (170 lbs) where he had a record of 5-3.
Record & Recent Fights
Strickland has a record of 31-7-0 and is currently the middleweight division champion. Here are some of his most recent bouts:
May 2026: Defeated Chimaev by decision at UFC 328 to win back the UFC Middleweight championship.
February 2026: Defeated Hernandez in round 3 by KO/TKO at UFC Fight Night.
February 2025: Du Plessis defeated Strickland by unanimous decision at UFC 312.
June 2024: Defeated Costa via split decision at UFC 302.
January 2024: Du Plessis defeated Strickland by split decision at UFC 297 to win the UFC Middleweight Championship.
Sean held the UFC Middleweight Championship title from September 2023 to January 2024. He defeated Israel Adesanya by unanimous decision to earn the title belt, and won it back in May 2026.
Sean Stricklands Nickname "Tarzan"
Early on in Sean's career he earned the nickname "tarzan" because of his long hair and wild fighting style.
His nickname is not as popular today but longtime fans and the media still sometimes refer to the former middleweight champion as tarzan.
When is Sean Strickland's next fight?
Strickland's next fight is yet to be announced, but he will likely face a top competitor eyeing the prized championship belt. Chimaev is just one person would could be eager to get back in the octagon against Strickland.
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