Sean Strickland

Sean Strickland (born February 27, 1991) is an American mixed martial artist.

He currently competes in the Middleweight division of Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC), where he is the former UFC Middleweight Champion.

A professional competitor since 2008, he is a former middleweight champion of the King of the Cage.

As of January 23, 2024, he is #1 in the UFC middleweight rankings, and as of February 20, 2024, he is #13 in the UFC men's pound-for-pound rankings.

Sean Strickland grew up in Corona, California, in a household with a physically and mentally abusive father.

During Strickland’s early childhood, he attacked his father with a guitar in an attempt to defend his mother.

Strickland fled from his house and contacted his local law enforcement leading to his father being briefly arrested.

However, the next day his father was released from jail as his mother paid for his bail.

In Strickland’s adolescence, he developed a close relationship with his grandfather who held neo-Nazi ideologies.

He adopted his grandfather’s views, which were further reinforced through his viewing of the film American History X.

“I loved the life they lived, just dirty, white trash, to have respect, you know?

When I was a kid, that was somebody I would hero-worship, that ideology,” Strickland stated regarding the characters in the film.

Strickland recalled that he was expelled from school in the ninth grade for perpetrating a hate crime, after which his mother decided to take him to an MMA gym.

He met people of different races while training who helped him, and this motivated him to abandon the ideology.

Strickland stated, “Then I started training and the moment I started training I was like, 'fuck man, I don’t hate anybody.

Everyone’s cool.

Then a lot of people who helped me out in my life, they weren’t white.'”

At the age of 18, Strickland had another violent altercation with his father again resulting in police involvement.

However, no charges were pressed.

Following this event, Strickland and his mother moved out of his father’s house.

Strickland made his professional debut in 2008 for the King of the Cage promotion and compiled an undefeated record of 9–0 before facing Josh Bryant in a fight for the King of the Cage Middleweight Championship at KOTC: Unification on December 9, 2012.

Strickland won via split decision, and then successfully defended his title three times before being signed by the UFC.

Strickland made his UFC debut at UFC 171 on March 15, 2014, facing Bubba McDaniel.

Strickland won via rear-naked choke submission in the first round.

Strickland made his next appearance at UFC Fight Night 41 against Luke Barnatt on May 31, 2014.

Strickland won via split decision.

Strickland faced Santiago Ponzinibbio in a welterweight bout on February 22, 2015, at UFC Fight Night 61.

Strickland lost the back and forth fight via unanimous decision.

Strickland faced Igor Araújo on July 15, 2015, at UFC Fight Night 71.

He won the fight by unanimous decision.

Strickland faced Alex Garcia on February 21, 2016, at UFC Fight Night 83.

After a back-and-forth first two rounds, Strickland won the fight via TKO in the third round.

Strickland next faced Tom Breese on June 4, 2016, at UFC 199.

He won the fight via split decision.

Strickland was expected to face Tim Means on August 20, 2016, at UFC 202.

However Strickland pulled out of the fight in early August citing a knee injury.

He was replaced by promotional newcomer Sabah Homasi.

Strickland faced Kamaru Usman on April 8, 2017, at UFC 210.

He lost the fight via unanimous decision.

Strickland faced Court McGee on November 11, 2017, at UFC Fight Night 120.