Sean Strickland became only the second middleweight champion in UFC history to regain the title after losing it. Israel Adesanya was the first to accomplish this feat. Strickland recaptured the championship at UFC 328 by defeating Khamzat Chimaev. This historic achievement places Strickland in elite company within the middleweight division.
Sean Strickland recaptured the UFC middleweight championship at UFC 328 on May 9, 2026, defeating Khamzat Chimaev to become only the second fighter in the division's history to win back the title after previously losing it.
Strickland, 35, now holds a 31-7 record and trains out of Xtreme Couture. The American stands six-foot-one with a 76-inch reach and fights out of an orthodox stance. He is one of the most active strikers in the division, landing 6.04 significant strikes per minute, and his return to the top of the middleweight ladder cements his place among the most resilient champions the 185-pound class has ever produced.
The only other middleweight in UFC history to accomplish the feat is Israel Adesanya. The City Kickboxing product, now 36 and ranked eighth in the division, holds a 24-6 record. Standing six-foot-four with an 80-inch reach, Adesanya built his legacy on precision, posting a 48 percent striking accuracy while throwing from both stances. He first regained the title after losing it to Alex Pereira, setting the historical precedent that Strickland has now matched.
Why it matters
- Strickland joins Adesanya as the only middleweights in UFC history to lose and reclaim the title, a distinction that elevates his legacy in the division.
- With Adesanya ranked eighth, a third meeting between the two men — who have already shared the octagon — becomes a credible future possibility.
- Strickland's high-volume, pressure-based style and Adesanya's counter-striking approach represent one of the sharpest stylistic contrasts in the division, making any future matchup between them a marquee event.
Saturday, May 9, 2026
