Sean Strickland hits Dricus Du Plessis during a middleweight title bout during the UFC 297 mixed martial arts event in Toronto | Image:
AP
Sean Strickland, the UFC middleweight fighter, has been handed a six-month suspension by the Nevada State Athletic Commission (NSAC).
The former middleweight champion was involved in an altercation during an MMA event in June, where he got into a brawl with another fighter inside the cage.
Strickland has been a controversial figure in the MMA realm because of his strong comments, and his actions in June put him on thin ice.
Sean Strickland Suspended By NSAC For In-Cage Brawl
The moment happened on June 29 at a Tuff-N-Uff event in Las Vegas when Sean Strickland was in the corner of Miles Hunsinger, a fighter he coaches. He suffered a submission loss to Luis Hernandez in the fight.
Right after the match, Luis Hernandez taunted Miles Hunsinger’s cornermen, leading to a response from UFC fighters Sean Strickland and Chris Curtis.
Video from the event showed Sean Strickland entering the cage and charging at Luis Hernandez. The UFC middleweight fighter also threw some punches at the fighter before he was pushed back.
The Nevada State Athletic Commission (NSAC) fined Sean Strickland USD 5,000 during its monthly meeting on Thursday, according to ESPN. The suspension is effective from the moment the altercation happened, and it will expire on December 29.
Strickland could reduce his suspension sentence to 4.5 months if he completes an anger management course.
The NSAC has also sanctioned Chris Curtis with a USD 2,500 fine, but he averted a suspension since he did not throw hands at the fighter.
Sean Strickland Had A Short Yet Memorable Run As A Middleweight Champion
Sean Strickland secured the UFC Middleweight Champion and made waves after defeating Israel Adesanya at UFC 293 in Sydney. It was one of the biggest upsets in UFC history.
After becoming the champion, the UFC middleweight fighter defended his title with a split decision win over Dricus Du Plessis in January 2024 and then defeated Paulo Costa in June.
Strickland’s title run lasted from September 10, 2023, to February 2025, when Dricus Du Plessis avenged his previous loss and defeated the middleweight champ via unanimous decision.
Even though Sean Strickland did not have a lengthy run with many title defences, it was an unforgettable run for the middleweight fighter.