Sean Strickland is currently training at American Top Team in Florida, serving as a sparring partner for Johnny Eblen ahead of Eblen's upcoming PFL title fight. Eblen confirmed Strickland's presence at the camp.
UFC middleweight champion Sean Strickland has linked up with American Top Team in Florida, lending his skills as a sparring partner to undefeated PFL middleweight Johnny Eblen as Eblen prepares for an upcoming title defense. Eblen himself confirmed Strickland's presence in camp.
Strickland, nicknamed "Tarzan," carries a 31-7-0 professional record and holds the UFC middleweight title at 35 years old. The American fighter out of Xtreme Couture stands six-foot-one with a 76-inch reach and fights out of an orthodox stance. He is one of the busiest strikers in the sport, landing 6.04 significant strikes per minute, and brings a relentless forward pressure that has defined his rise to the top of the division.
Eblen, who fights under the nickname "PRESSURE," enters camp with a perfect 16-0-0 record at 34 years old. The six-foot-one American posts a remarkable striking accuracy of 63.4 percent and lands 12.3 significant strikes per minute, numbers that rank among the best in MMA regardless of organization. His willingness to engage and his precision in the pocket make him a natural fit to work with a high-volume striker like Strickland.
Why it matters
- Strickland's relentless output and forward pressure offer Eblen a demanding test ahead of a PFL title fight
- Both fighters share nearly identical physical dimensions — same height, a two-inch reach difference — making the matchup closely simulate real championship competition
- The collaboration highlights the cross-promotional sparring relationships that elite fighters increasingly seek outside their home gyms
