Strickland becomes second UFC middleweight to regain title after losing it

Sean Strickland has cemented his place in UFC middleweight history, becoming only the second fighter ever to reclaim the 185-pound title after previously losing it.

Strickland, 35, now carries a 31-7-0 professional record and reigns once again as middleweight champion. The American, who trains out of Xtreme Couture, is one of the division's most active strikers, averaging 6.04 significant strikes landed per minute with a six-foot-one frame and a 76-inch reach. His relentless pressure and output have defined his time at the top of the division, and this second title reign adds a new dimension to a career that has steadily built toward legend status.

The only other middleweight to accomplish the feat is Israel Adesanya. The 36-year-old Nigerian, now ranked eighth in the division, built his own legacy at 185 pounds with a 24-6-0 record and precision striking that clocks in at 48 percent accuracy across 4.03 significant strikes per minute. Standing six-foot-four with an 80-inch reach, Adesanya long defined what a middleweight champion could look like before Strickland first dethroned him and now joins him in this rare historical company.

Why it matters

• Only two fighters in UFC middleweight history have ever lost and then recaptured the title, placing Strickland in extraordinarily rare company.
• The achievement reframes Strickland's legacy, elevating the conversation around where he stands among the division's all-time greats.
• With Adesanya sitting at rank eight and Strickland holding the belt, a potential third meeting between the two remains a credible and historically significant matchup on the horizon.