Sean Strickland chokes out fan during Florida beach grappling session
Sean Strickland choked out a fan on a Florida beach while visiting the state to help former Bellator champion Johnny Eblen prepare for his next fight.
The UFC middleweight champion, in town ahead of Eblen's bout at PFL Austin, took a break from cornerman duties to grapple with a willing participant on the sand, according to MMA Mania. Video circulating on social media shows Strickland securing a choke and rendering the fan unconscious before releasing the hold.
Strickland helping Eblen ahead of PFL Austin card
Strickland has been in Florida working with Eblen, who previously held Bellator's 185-pound strap before the promotion merged into the PFL ecosystem. The beach session appears to have been impromptu, with Strickland engaging the fan in a short grappling exchange that escalated quickly.
The champion has built a reputation for sparring and rolling with fans at public gyms and other informal settings. Monday's incident follows that pattern, though most such encounters end before anyone loses consciousness.
Strickland remains scheduled to defend his title later this year. No date for Eblen's PFL Austin appearance has been confirmed by the promotion.
Photo: MMAnytt / Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0
Original reporting:
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