Few fighters divide the MMA world the way Sean Strickland does, and fewer still have produced numbers this hard to ignore. The Sean Strickland career stats now read 31 wins and 7 losses, two UFC middleweight title reigns, and a striking-volume résumé that sits near the top of the 185-pound all-time lists.
This guide rebuilds his full statistical profile from scratch using the most recent fight data. You will find his official record, striking and grappling averages, a title-fight history, a head-to-head breakdown against the men who matter right now, and the newest developments around his next defense.
Latest Updates on Sean Strickland
A lot has changed since his last title loss. Here is where things stand today.
Two-Time Champion After UFC 328
On May 9, 2026, Strickland took the middleweight belt from the previously unbeaten Khamzat Chimaev at the Prudential Center in Newark, winning a split decision on scores of 48-47, 47-48 and 48-47. The win handed Chimaev his first professional loss and made Strickland a two-time UFC middleweight champion.
The fight was a genuine grind. Chimaev scored a takedown inside the opening minute and controlled the first round, but Strickland sprawled out of several later attempts, popped his jab, and took the middle rounds. Reports based on UFC Stats put his output at 160 strikes landed on 355 thrown, against 137 of 283 for Chimaev. A late takedown in round five cost him one judge’s scorecard, and media scores were split almost down the middle.
The result also pushed his striking totals into record territory. Post-fight data shows Strickland now leads the UFC middleweight all-time list for total strikes landed.
The Imavov Rematch and the UFC 335 Situation
Strickland’s first title defense is expected to come against Nassourdine Imavov, the division’s No. 3 contender, who arrives on a five-fight win streak. In their previous encounter in January 2023, Strickland prevailed by unanimous decision at light heavyweight.
Negotiations have been messy. Strickland said publicly in late September that the two sides were “working out pay.” UFC 335 was announced for December 12 at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas, but it is headlined by Charles Oliveira vs. Diego Lopes for the BMF belt, not a middleweight title fight. According to reports, Strickland was healthy and available, and the booking fell through over money. Imavov has since been reported to have offered $500,000 of his own money if Strickland beats him in a proposed January date. None of this is confirmed, so treat the next fight date as unsettled.
Injury and Accident News
Strickland needed time to recover from a shoulder injury after UFC 328. In September 2026 he was also a passenger in a side-by-side ATV rollover in Las Vegas, with no helmet. He reported a possible concussion and said he was back sparring the next day, and later reports indicated he had no injury that would stop him from fighting.
Sean Strickland Career Stats at a Glance
| Category | Detail |
| Full name | Sean Thomas Strickland (“Tarzan”) |
| Born | February 27, 1991 (age 35) |
| Division | Middleweight (185 lbs) |
| Height / reach | 6’1″ / 76″ |
| Stance | Orthodox |
| Camp | Xtreme Couture |
| Pro debut | 2008 |
| UFC debut | March 15, 2014 (UFC 171) |
| Pro record | 31-7-0 |
| UFC record | roughly 18-7 across 25 bouts |
| Current status | UFC Middleweight Champion (second reign) |
Win and Loss Breakdown
| Result | Total | KO/TKO | Submission | Decision |
| Wins | 31 | 12 | 4 | 15 |
| Losses | 7 | 2 | 0 | 5 |
Two numbers stand out. First, nearly half of his wins (15) have come on the scorecards, which reflects a fighter who wins by accumulation instead of one-shot finishes. Second, he has never been submitted. All four of his submission wins are rear-naked chokes from the early part of his career.
His seven defeats came against Santiago Ponzinibbio (2015), Kamaru Usman (2017), Elizeu Zaleski dos Santos (2018), Alex Pereira (2022), Jared Cannonier (2022), and Dricus du Plessis twice (2024 and 2025). Only the dos Santos and Pereira losses ended inside the distance.
Sean Strickland UFC Career Stats: Striking, Defense and Grappling
Different tracking sites round these averages slightly differently, so the figures below are approximate career ranges drawn from UFC-based data. They tell a consistent story regardless of the source.
| Stat | Approximate career average |
| Significant strikes landed per minute | about 6.0 |
| Significant strike accuracy | about 42% |
| Significant strikes absorbed per minute | about 4.5 |
| Takedown defense | about 68% |
| Takedowns landed per 15 minutes | about 0.7 |
Striking Volume
A pace of roughly six significant strikes per minute ranks among the best in middleweight history. UFC’s own stat packages have placed him in the top three all-time at 185 pounds for strikes landed per minute, and among the longest average fight times in the division at over 16 minutes.
That is the real signature of his career stats. He does not hunt knockouts. He wins by piling up jabs, straight rights and body shots across five rounds, then repeating the process the next time out. His accuracy is modest at around 42%, which means the volume is doing the heavy lifting.
Performance bonuses back this up. He collected a Performance of the Night award, worth $100,000, for stopping Anthony Hernandez with knee and punches at 2:23 of round three in February 2026, and he has now won five post-fight bonuses in total.
Defense and Durability
Early-career Strickland absorbed a lot of damage, and his strikes-absorbed number reflects that. In recent years the defensive picture has improved, with UFC data showing a significant-strike defense in the mid-60s percent at its peak. He walks forward behind a high guard, uses his jab as a range finder, and accepts that he will trade.
The chin question is fair to ask. He has been knocked out twice as a professional: by dos Santos in 2018 and by Pereira at UFC 276, where a left hook ended the fight in 2:36 of round one. Beyond those two, he has been remarkably hard to put away, and no fighter has finished him since.
Takedown Defense and Grappling
Strickland’s takedown defense hovers in the high 60s, which is respectable but not elite. It is also his most exploitable area. Elite wrestlers have found success against him: du Plessis put him down six times in their rematch, and Chimaev ran the same plan in spurts at UFC 328.
His own takedown offense is minor, averaging well under one per 15 minutes. That said, he is not helpless. Against Uriah Hall in 2021 he completed 4 of 6 takedowns and landed 186 significant strikes on 428 attempts, a reminder that he mixes wrestling in when it suits the fight.
Sean Strickland Title Fight Stats and History
Strickland’s championship résumé is short but dramatic. Each title fight tells you something different about his style.
| Fight | Date | Result | Method | Notable detail |
| vs. Israel Adesanya (UFC 293) | Sept. 9, 2023 | Win | Unanimous decision | Won the title as a heavy underdog |
| vs. Dricus du Plessis (UFC 297) | Jan. 20, 2024 | Loss | Split decision | Lost the belt; Fight of the Night |
| vs. Dricus du Plessis (UFC 312) | Feb. 8, 2025 | Loss | Unanimous decision | Gave up six takedowns |
| vs. Khamzat Chimaev (UFC 328) | May 9, 2026 | Win | Split decision | Won the belt for the second time |
The Adesanya Upset
At UFC 293 in Sydney, Strickland walked down Israel Adesanya for five rounds and used his jab and pressure to take away the champion’s counterpunching. It is still the best illustration of his technique in action. For a gifted kickboxer, it is a stylistic problem that can only be solved by volume and a determination to back down.
The Du Plessis Fights
Both du Plessis bouts were close at the start and slipped away in the details. The first, at UFC 297, was a split decision loss that many viewers thought could have gone either way. The rematch was less competitive, and the judges rewarded du Plessis for damage and takedowns. The pair of losses show what happens when Strickland meets a larger, awkward opponent who can change levels.
The Chimaev Upset
UFC 328 showed a more mature version of Strickland. He survived a rough first round, adjusted his distance, and traded jabs from the outside. The fight also exposed the cost of that style: Chimaev’s late takedowns nearly changed the outcome on the scorecards.
Sean Strickland vs. Nassourdine Imavov: Head-to-Head Comparison
The next likely title fight makes this the most relevant head-to-head of the moment. The table below uses only verified record details and reported physical measurements.
| Category | Sean Strickland | Nassourdine Imavov |
| Status | UFC Middleweight Champion | No. 3 ranked contender |
| Pro record | 31-7 | 17-4 |
| Age | 35 | 31 |
| Height | 6’1″ | about 6’3″ |
| Reach | 76″ | longer than Strickland’s, per reports |
| Stance | Orthodox | Orthodox |
| Recent form | Beat Chimaev (May 2026) | Five straight wins, including Adesanya and Borralho |
| Previous meeting | Won by unanimous decision (Jan. 2023) | Lost by unanimous decision |
| Main edge | Volume, pressure, cardio | Size, range, momentum |
Verdict: Strickland holds the proven edge in championship experience and in the first meeting. Imavov counters with length, a longer recent win streak and a more varied attack. If Imavov keeps the fight at range, the contest could be closer than it was in 2023. If Strickland forces the clinch and the pocket, he has a clear path to another decision.
Sean Strickland vs. Khamzat Chimaev: Fight Stats Comparison
| Category | Sean Strickland | Khamzat Chimaev |
| Result at UFC 328 | Win (split decision) | Loss (first career defeat) |
| Strikes landed / thrown | 160 of 355 | 137 of 283 |
| Takedowns | Defended most attempts | Landed early and late |
| Round control | Rounds two and three | Rounds one and four |
| Judges’ scores | 48-47, 48-47 | 47-48 |
The figures demonstrate how narrow the margin actually was. Strickland out-landed Chimaev, but the champion’s grappling kept the scoring tight, and a rematch remains a realistic future fight if Chimaev wins his next bout.
Recent UFC Fight History
| Date | Opponent | Result | Method |
| May 9, 2026 | Khamzat Chimaev | Win | Split decision (title) |
| Feb. 21, 2026 | Anthony Hernandez | Win | TKO, round 3 |
| Feb. 8, 2025 | Dricus du Plessis | Loss | Unanimous decision |
| June 1, 2024 | Paulo Costa | Win | Split decision |
| Jan. 20, 2024 | Dricus du Plessis | Loss | Split decision |
| Sept. 9, 2023 | Israel Adesanya | Win | Unanimous decision (title) |
| July 1, 2023 | Abus Magomedov | Win | TKO, round 2 |
| Jan. 14, 2023 | Nassourdine Imavov | Win | Unanimous decision |
| Dec. 17, 2022 | Jared Cannonier | Loss | Split decision |
| July 2, 2022 | Alex Pereira | Loss | KO, round 1 |
| Feb. 5, 2022 | Jack Hermansson | Win | Split decision |
| July 31, 2021 | Uriah Hall | Win | Unanimous decision |
Since the start of 2022, he has gone 7-4 in the UFC, with the wins including a former champion in Adesanya and the current-era champion in Chimaev, and the losses coming against Pereira, Cannonier and du Plessis (twice).
Strengths and Weaknesses Shown by the Numbers
Strengths
- Elite output: about 6 significant strikes per minute over long fights.
- Five-round cardio: he rarely fades, and his later-round pace often matches his early pace.
- Submission-proof: zero submission losses in 38 pro fights.
- Calm under fire: he stays composed after losing early rounds.
Weaknesses
- Modest accuracy: about 42% means he needs volume to win rounds.
- Takedown defense: the high-60s range leaves a clear route for elite wrestlers.
- Power gap: only 12 knockouts in 31 wins, so he rarely ends fights early.
- Counter-striking risk: both of his knockout losses came when he walked forward into heavy single shots.
What the Career Numbers Predict Next
At 35, Strickland is in the final stretch of a title reign that few expected to see twice. His stat profile suggests he remains dangerous against anyone who wants to stand and trade, and vulnerable to anyone who can control him on the mat for long stretches.
The Imavov fight, if it gets signed, looks like a favorable stylistic matchup for him. A Chimaev rematch, or a fight against a heavy-hitting striker, would be a tougher test. Until a date is confirmed, the best signal is simple: his output, his chin and his cardio remain intact.
Final Take on Sean Strickland’s Career Stats
The Sean Strickland career stats describe a fighter who built a championship résumé out of volume, resilience and refusal to be intimidated. A 31-7 record, wins over Israel Adesanya and Khamzat Chimaev, and a place at the top of the middleweight striking charts make a strong case that he belongs among the division’s defining figures.
The weaknesses are real, but so is the pattern: every time the numbers say he should lose, he finds a way to make the fight close. If you want to track where the story goes next, watch the Imavov negotiations and any title-fight announcement for early 2027. His next result will update every number on this page again.
