Former middleweight champion Sean Strickland is laser-focused on returning to the Octagon as soon as possible. With Israel Adesanya no longer in the conversation, ‘Tarzan’ has set his sights on ranked contender Anthony Hernandez, a matchup that could pave his path to a title fight against reigning champion Khamzat Chimaev. “I want to fight somebody like Fluffy. Fluffy puts me in title contention. Especially with him, because all he does, he’s like the American Chimaev,” Strickland said, throwing down the gauntlet to his fellow American.

However, Sean Strickland still faces obstacles on his road back. He serves a six-month suspension, retroactive to June 29, for his involvement in a post-fight brawl at a Tuff-n-Uff event, with the ban set to expire on December 29, 2025. Fortunately, participation in an anger management program—including lessons for female MMA fighters—reduced his suspension to 4.5 months, potentially allowing him to return by mid-October. This clears the way for a high-stakes showdown with Anthony Hernandez this year. But will the path be smooth for ‘Tarzan’? UFC veteran Josh Thomson doesn’t think so.

UFC insider highlights Sean Strickland’s potential pitfalls against Anthony Hernandez

On his latest Weighing In podcast, Thomson analyzed Sean Strickland’s prospects against Anthony Hernandez, noting that opponents find it notoriously hard to “take down” and control him on the ground. In over a decade of UFC competition, no opponent in the UFC has submitted ‘Tarzan’; opponents have only beaten him by decision or knockout. “On the feet, Fluffy’s not out of his realm—like, he can stand with Sean, you know. And, uh, I think the gas tank, the push, all of those things,” Thomson said.

Still, Thomson questioned whether Sean Strickland can handle Hernandez’s ground game. As a primarily striking-focused fighter, Strickland rarely adjusts his strategy mid-fight—a flaw that showed in his last UFC appearance at UFC 312 against Dricus Du Plessis, where he reportedly clashed with coach Eric Nicksick over tactics.

Thomson added, “Sean normally comes in pretty good shape. Um, you know, but what you’ve seen from Sean lately is he can’t make adjustments throughout the fight if it doesn’t start going his way. He can’t make little tweaks here and there, you know.”

“And, uh, not having Eric Nicksick in his corner—because they’ve talked about him not being in the corner anymore—so what changes will Sean be making? Who will be giving him advice? Will Sean even listen to it?”

Sean Strickland, who has gone 4-2 in his last six UFC outings, is navigating rough waters after suffering defeats to Dricus du Plessis that shook his once-steady confidence. Nicksick played a pivotal role in Strickland’s success, and his absence is bound to raise questions. As for adjusting strategies mid-fight, at the highest levels of fighting, Strickland has no other option.

However, ‘Tarzan’ might delay his return fight because the former champ recently married his longtime partner, starting new chapters in and out of the Octagon.

On the other hand, Anthony Hernandez, riding an eight-fight win streak, was set to clash with Reinier de Ridder at UFC Vancouver this month. But an injury forced ‘Fluffy’ out, opening the door for Brendan Allen to step into the spotlight against the former ONE Championship titleholder.

Strickland looks back on his training battles with Khamzat Chimaev

Khamzat Chimaev returned triumphantly in August, seizing the middleweight title by outclassing former champion Dricus du Plessis at UFC 319. Throughout the five-round bout, ‘Borz’ imposed his will on the South African fighter, dominating him on the ground like a blanket draped over a flickering flame and leaving little room for escape. By the end, the Chechen native claimed victory on the judges’ scorecards, a performance that caught the attention of his former training partner, Sean Strickland.

The two once trained together Xtreme Couture gym in Las Vegas around August 2022, a period documented through posts and shared social media updates. However, over time, their rivalry flared as ‘Tarzan’ began taking subtle jabs at Chimaev while speaking with MMA Junkie about UFC 320. I

n the end, in their division, he acknowledged, the crown ultimately went to Chimaev: “He made me realize I should wrestle,” Strickland admitted. “What annoys me about Chimaev is that nobody is going to beat him. Once you get past that first round, it turns into a kickboxing match. Once he realizes he can’t just maul you, the fight changes.”

With the MMA landscape constantly shifting, speculation now swirls around a potential showdown between Khamzat Chimaev and Sean Strickland. Could the former champion topple the ‘Beast,’ the Chechen warrior? Share your thoughts below.