Sean Strickland has etched his name even deeper into the UFC history books. At UFC 328, held Saturday night at the Prudential Center in Newark, New Jersey, Strickland not only reclaimed the middleweight championship but also shattered a long-standing striking record.
By defeating Khamzat Chimaev in the main event, Strickland became a two-time 185-pound champion. The victory was another chapter in his remarkable career resurgence. After losing three of four fights between 2022 and 2023, Strickland has now gone unbeaten in seven outings, including a draw with Paulo Costa at UFC 302 earlier this year.
His first title win came in dramatic fashion, upsetting Dricus du Plessis at UFC 297 in January. Though he later lost the rematch at UFC 303 last summer, Strickland proved in Newark that he learns from every setback.
The key to his success against Chimaev was avoiding the fate that befell du Plessis back in August 2023. Chimaev had overwhelmed du Plessis in Chicago, amassing over 20 minutes of control time to claim the middleweight title. Strickland faced early ground trouble but found a way to keep the fight standing, where his striking truly shines.
That strategy paid off in historic fashion. Entering UFC 328, Strickland already boasted an impressive 1,726 career strikes landed. By adding 73 more against Chimaev, he surpassed Chris Leben to claim the top spot on the all-time list for total strikes landed in UFC middleweight history.
But the records don't stop there. Strickland also holds the top spot for significant strikes thrown, sitting over 300 clear of Michael Bisping and 400 ahead of Marvin Vettori. With a potential title defense against Nassourdine Imavov on the horizon, that gap could grow even wider. Chimaev is expected to move up in weight after his loss, leaving Imavov as the likely next challenger.
For a fighter who once seemed down and out, Strickland's rise has been nothing short of extraordinary. His relentless pace and volume striking have redefined what's possible in the middleweight division.