Former UFC Middleweight Champion Sean Strickland shared his side of what happened when he stormed the cage at Tuff-n-supl 145.
Sean Strickland's UFC return time line became a potentially important delay after he stormed the cage and attacked the opponent of his teammate on Tuff-Up 145.
Strickland and middleweight Chris Curtis in the corner-driven Miles Hunsinger at Tuff-n-EUff 145 on Sunday in Las Vegas. The three Xtreme Couture teammates are old friends and allies, and all three have proven not to be afraid of a scrap in and out of the cage.
After Hunsinger lost to the middleweight Luis Hernandez through entry, Hernandez spotted and made an X-rated gesture to Strickland and Curtis. The two central weights then stormed the cage and confronted Hernandez, with Stricklandland landing on Hernandez's head before the security staff intervened.
Photo by Jeff Bottari/Zuffa LLC
Sean Strickland shares his side of wild fight after the fight on Tuff-Up 145
It was a wild end of what was a very competitive fight on the Tuff-N-SUK 145 Undercard. Strickland and Curtis were immediately accompanied from the Arena after the incident.
For the first time since the Vechtvecht became viral after the fight, Strickland explained why he stormed the cage and attacked Hernandez.
In a few messages in his Instagram story, Strickland shared his side of what happened on Tuff-Up 145.
“So after the fight you see me all the time corner guys, I am the first to shake their hand and say:” I wish you the best, to the next “. But after the fight this man comes to me, calls me by name,” Strickland, “calls me Ab-, says he's going to f me,” started. “Strickland started.
“Is it hand gesture … if a man, I am unable not to answer that. If I walk through the street, when I leave my house and someone says that, my soul will not allow that not unanswered. I can't, I can't …
“If I could go back, would I just not have the fight in the corner? Would I not put myself in that situation? Yes.
“But I just don't have the opportunity to let a man talk to me like that. Who I am as a person, I will never allow that. So it is what it is, man.”
Strickland is confronted with a potential suspension of the Nevada State Athletic Commission after the incident, after the Commission has sanctioned the Tuff-NUFT 145 event. From this letter, the Commission has not issued public statements since Strickland and Curtis charged the cage.
Strickland has not fought anymore since a middleweight Rematch against Dricus du Plessis on UFC 312. On UFC 296, Strickland and Du Plessis came to a cageside fight prior to their first collision in the Achthoek.
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– Alex Behunin (@alexbehunin) 29 June 2025
Sean Strickland is confronted with potential suspension after tuff-up 145 incident
The actions of Strickland are the newest in a whole series of controversies around the former UFC champion about his promotional term of office. Strickland has been involved in countless anger incidents and various controversial sparring sessions, during his climb to UFC star row.
At the moment, UFC CEO Dana White has not spoken about Strickland, although he is repeatedly critical about the former middleweight champion during his career.
Before he lost to Du Plessis on UFC 312, Strickland defeated the former title -finer Paulo Costa on UFC 302. After his loss at UFC 312, Strickland and his old coach Eric Nicksick came in a short, Public feud about Nicksick's criticism of his performance.
Strickland remains unsuitable for his next UFC fight and a timeline for his return is uncertain.