Strickland Bashes UFC Over Du Plessis Rematch

Sean Strickland has broken his silence by accusing the UFC of pressuring him into accepting a rematch against Dricus du Plessis, despite being injured. 

The former middleweight champion revealed that just weeks before the UFC 312 main event in February 2025, he was involved in a motorcycle accident while riding with motocross athlete Axell Hodges. The accident reportedly left him with a fractured shoulder—an injury he was treating with stem cell therapy at BioXcellerator in Colombia when the UFC called to finalize the rematch.

“Before the Dricus fight, I was riding [my motorcycle] with Axell Hodges, and I broke my shoulder. I was in Colombia getting stem cells on my shoulder, and they hit me up for the fight. The thing with the UFC, dog, you don’t say no. They are our pimps. You don’t say no to the master. I was backed up into a corner taking that fight. So, taking this time off to let my body heal has been amazing. The shoulder feels f—— great. I do miss fighting, and I miss performing, but it’s been nice to be a fat, lazy piece of s— for a while,” Strickland said 

Strickland’s Future

After a rough 2025 defined by injuries, Strickland Strickland will headline UFC Houston (UFC Fight Night 267) on February 21 against Anthony “Fluffy” Hernandez. Hernandez is currently on an eight-fight winning streak and is ranked #4 in the division. Strickland, currently ranked #3, has acknowledged that a win over a momentum-heavy opponent like Hernandez is his only clear path back to a title shot. Strickland is looking for his first victory since outpointing former title challenger Paulo Costa at UFC 302 in June 2024. As for a bout against former middleweight champion Robert Whittaker, Sean has said no.

“I don’t want Whittaker. It doesn’t do anything. I beat Whittaker, there’s no title shot ahead of that. It doesn’t do anything. Gatekeeper fighter, but it doesn’t do anything for me. … The good thing about ‘Fluffy’ is guy’s on like a 50-fight winning streak. You’re next in line. He’s like the American (Khamzat) Chimaev. That’s the fight. That’s the next title fight,” Strickland stated