Former UFC middleweight champion Sean Strickland is currently facing a challenging period in his career. After losing the title fight to Dricus Du Plessis at UFC 312 in February and undergoing surgery for injuries, it wasn’t that loss that made headlines. Known for his bold and outspoken personality, Strickland doesn’t shy away from taking shots at anyone — whether it’s Donald Trump or his rival Khamzat Chimaev.

In recent months, however, Sean Strickland has been making news for a different reason. At the Tuff-N-Uff 145 event in Las Vegas, he was supporting his teammate Miles Hunsinger during a bout against Luis Hernandez. During the fight, Hernandez directed verbal taunts and gestures at the former UFC champion, which escalated tensions after Hernandez submitted Strickland’s teammate. In response, ‘Tarzan’, alongside Chris Curtis, rushed into the cage. While Curtis just got up in Hernandez’s face, an irate Strickland delivered several punches to Hernandez.

Footage of the incident shows Sean Strickland landing strikes on Hernandez, leading the Nevada State Athletic Commission to suspend him indefinitely. With the disciplinary hearing still pending, Sean’s future in the sport remains uncertain. That said, a comeback by the end of the year doesn’t seem out of reach.

In a recent interview with Bruce Buffer’s YouTube channel, Sean Strickland’s manager Jason House addressed questions about his return: “So he’ll be back in four months?” asked Buffer. “Yes, yes… there’s been some dialogue. He had to have some surgeries after this last fight, and so, uh, we’re just kind of getting on the mend, getting everything situated, and we’re hoping to get one more this year and then get him active again next year,” Jason House revealed.

Beyond that, Jason House revealed little else, noting that the suspension, for now, “would only limit him from doing things like cornering and things that he would have to apply for a license for.” Meanwhile, Dana White & Co. have not yet commented on Sean Strickland’s suspension or announced an official timeline for his return. Many believe that if Strickland returns, he will likely face Israel Adesanya in a rematch.

The two last faced off at UFC 293 in 2023, where Strickland took the title from the then-reigning champion. Since that bout, Israel Adesanya — no longer in his prime — has struggled, going 1-4 in his last five fights inside the Octagon. This downturn in ‘Izzy’s career positions Sean Strickland as a fitting opponent for a potential rematch.

Chris Curtis outlines how his punishment differs from Sean Strickland’s

After the Tuff-N-Uff fight, Chris Curtis rushed into the cage alongside Sean Strickland. However, Curtis did not throw any punches at Luis Hernandez. In fact, he even stepped in to protect Hernandez from some of Strickland’s blows, which Hernandez took to the face. The incident has since drawn the attention of the Nevada State Athletic Commission, which included Curtis in the suspension.

That said, Chris Curtis’s punishment is less severe than Sean Strickland’s. While Strickland grabbed Hernandez by the neck to speak, his anger ultimately worked against him. Strickland has had several clashes before — once even with Dricus Du Plessis while watching UFC 296. Reportedly, ‘Tarzan’ also pointed a gun at passersby in some instances.

Following this latest altercation, the commission took notice. Chris Curtis spoke out to clarify the details of his punishment during an interview with The MMA Hour. The middleweight star said, “I ended up paying a decent little penny for it… got a fine, Sean got some other stuff, which I’ll let him tell people about that at some point, I’m not going to out his personal business. But I got an interesting fine, I’m not barred from cornering, mine was a bit different from Sean’s. I’m fine, they just got me with a nice little fine.”

Currently, Sean Strickland’s future in the sport remains uncertain as the commission is expected to hold a hearing sometime in August. We’ll see how things unfold and will keep you updated as soon as new information becomes available. Stay tuned.