New footage has surfaced showing the frightening moment Sean Strickland’s off-road vehicle rolled over at high speed in the desert. The UFC middleweight champion was riding as a passenger when the vehicle flipped several times, and Strickland later revealed he was not wearing a helmet.
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The video posted by Home of Fight on X shows Strickland and his friend Chris Cornell getting out of the vehicle after the crash. Cornell then appears to lose consciousness and collapse, adding another concerning moment to the accident. Strickland said it happened at around 60 mph.
Strickland has since provided several updates on social media and said he believes he is OK. He also acknowledged that he made a mistake by riding without a helmet.
“Guys I’m in a really bad place. I let my buddy drive, he rolled us going like 60 (mph), we rolled like six times,” Strickland said. “That’s from my head smacking the ground going 60. I didn’t have a helmet on, I’m an idiot.”
The 35-year-old showed scrapes on his head, back and shoulder in videos recorded after the crash. He said the vehicle rolled approximately six times and that he repeatedly hit his head during the accident.
He later said he was “a little concussed but good” and even suggested he wanted to spar the following day. He did not confirm whether he went to a hospital or received a formal diagnosis.
“Think I’m OK, Chris is in the hospital but I think he’s going to be alright,” Strickland said. “It was the most fun I’ve had in a long time. My shoulder’s a little sore.”
Cornell was taken to hospital after losing consciousness. He later posted a photo from a hospital bed giving a thumbs-up alongside an X-ray that appeared to show a broken bone. No formal diagnosis or details of the injury were publicly confirmed.
“Chris Cornell went unconscious a little bit. So, he’s in the hospital, but I think he’s going to be alright,” Strickland said in another update. “He just went to sleep for a little bit.”
Strickland had been riding with Cornell in the Las Vegas area, although he did not specify exactly where the crash occurred. A video posted before the accident showed Strickland in the desert before the pair went riding.
The accident comes only a few months after Strickland reclaimed the UFC middleweight title. He defeated Khamzat Chimaev in May to become a two-time champion.
His next fight has not been officially announced, although Nassourdine Imavov has emerged as a potential challenger after building a five-fight winning streak and scoring a knockout victory over Israel Adesanya.
For now, his focus is recovering from the crash. His latest updates have been encouraging, but there has been no official medical diagnosis released regarding his injuries or confirmation that the incident will not affect his fighting schedule.
The newly surfaced footage provides a clearer picture of just how violent the crash was. Strickland’s own account makes clear that the vehicle was moving at high speed, rolled repeatedly, and left him with visible injuries.