Sean Strickland Issues Unapologetic Message After Tuff N Uff Altercation

Sean Strickland didn’t sit quietly when he felt disrespected, and he’s not apologizing now. The former UFC middleweight champion made news again this weekend—this time for a fight he started after the bell. After a video showing him throwing punches inside a regional MMA cage went viral, fans were eager to hear his side of the story. Now Strickland has broken his silence.

In a typically blunt message shared to social media, ‘Tarzan’ detailed what sparked the post-fight incident. According to him, the fighter in question purposefully targeted him for a viral moment, using comments like “suck my d—” and “you’re a b—” during and after the fight.

“I go there to support a teammate, then I’m allowed to be verbally assaulted for a highlight,” Sean Strickland wrote on X. For ‘Tarzan, ‘this was more than just trash talk; it had become personal. But what exactly happened? Well, the incident occurred at Tuff-N-Uff 145, a regional MMA event in Las Vegas.

Strickland and fellow UFC fighter Chris Curtis were cornering his teammate Miles Hunsinger, who was returning to competition after a lengthy layoff. Luis Hernandez, Hunsinger’s opponent, submitted him with a guillotine choke before turning his attention to Strickland and Curtis, flipping the bird and making an X-rated crotch motion.

That’s when everything boiled over. Strickland rushed into the cage and punched Hernandez twice before being separated by security and commission officials. Curtis, albeit less confrontational, had also stepped in.

The video soon spread online, raising debate about fighter behavior, taunting, and where the line is in instances like this. For ‘Tarzan,’ however, the answer seemed to be simple: “Never showed disrespect in a corner or at a fight. This was allowed to happen.” But what now? Will this incident go unpunished for Sean Strickland?

Possible suspension looms large over Sean Strickland

Sean Strickland may be doubling down on his stance, but that does not mean there won’t be consequences. His antics at Tuff-N-Uff 145 did more than just start a brawl; they also prompted concerns with the Nevada State Athletic Commission. ‘Tarzan’ was a licensed cornerman at the time of the incident, so the NAC could suspend him in both capacities: fighter and corner.

The same license that allowed him to support a teammate may now be the one that limits him. To make matters worse, there is a chance that legal action will follow. If Luis Hernandez decides to file criminal charges, this will not be just an athletic commission issue.

And with Sean Strickland already having to recover from back-to-back losses, any additional delay could freeze his momentum completely. He used to headline pay-per-view events. Now, he faces the possibility of being benched entirely—and not due to injury or matchmaking.

All eyes now turn to UFC CEO Dana White, who has already spoken publicly on Strickland’s volatile behavior. While White has previously let things slip, this recent incident, which was caught in full view of fans and regulators, may have gone too far.