Sean Strickland, a prominent and often controversial figure in the UFC, is currently facing a temporary halt in his fighting career. Recently, Strickland garnered significant attention, not for his usual outspoken remarks, but for his physical involvement in an incident at Tuff-N-Uff 145.
During the Tuff-N-Uff 145 event, Strickland, alongside fellow UFC veteran Chris Curtis, was cornering their teammate, Miles Hunsinger, in a bout against the undefeated Luis Hernandez. The situation escalated when Strickland and Curtis engaged in mid-fight banter with Hernandez. Following Hernandez`s submission victory over Hunsinger, he celebrated by openly mocking Strickland and Curtis. This provocation led to both Strickland and Curtis rushing into the cage, where Strickland reportedly threw a punch at Hernandez.
Despite Luis Hernandez choosing not to press charges or seek any form of punishment for the fighters involved in the altercation, the Nevada State Athletic Commission (NSAC) has taken its own course of action.
Sean Strickland Receives Temporary Suspension for Post-Fight Altercation
The Nevada State Athletic Commission has formally issued a temporary suspension to Strickland for his conduct, specifically for entering the cage and striking Hernandez at Tuff-N-Uff 145. This interim suspension is widely expected to be extended following the commission`s next hearing, scheduled for Wednesday. While this suspension remains active, Strickland will be prohibited from competing in the UFC. The full extent of his disciplinary consequences is anticipated to be revealed at a later date. Notably, despite his reputation, this marks Strickland`s first official disciplinary suspension of his UFC career.
Potential Israel Adesanya Rematch in Jeopardy for Sean Strickland
This suspension arrives at an already critical juncture in Strickland`s career. He has recently suffered two consecutive defeats to the reigning middleweight champion, Dricus du Plessis, including a clear loss in their rematch at UFC 312 in February. Prior to this incident, there had been significant interest from his former rival, Israel Adesanya, in a potential rematch, especially considering Strickland was the one who ended Adesanya`s last title reign at middleweight in 2023. However, with this new suspension now in effect, coupled with Adesanya`s recent suggestions of potentially moving on from the matchup, a highly anticipated rematch between Strickland and Adesanya appears increasingly unlikely.
