Strickland Saves Man From Drowning

Sean Strickland spent part of his time between fights pulling someone out of a lake.

The UFC middleweight champion was at a local lake in Nevada with friends, jumping from a cliff roughly 50 feet above the water. One of his friends was anxious about the jump but eventually went over the edge. He made it into the water safely, then struggled to stay above the surface as he fought the current. His head began to dip under. Strickland went in and got him out. Nobody was hurt.

https://www.youtube.com/shorts/UoarM0WrjRs

Sean reclaimed the middleweight title by defeating Khamzat Chimaev at UFC 328 earlier this year, reversing the interim title loss to Chimaev that had interrupted his reign. The win was his second UFC middleweight championship and positioned him for a title defense that has not yet been formally announced.

The options in front of him are legitimate and varied. A rematch with Chimaev is possible, though the promotion has been deliberate about confirming a direction. Nassourdine Imavov has established himself as a credible top contender and represents a stylistically interesting matchup. The most compelling name, and the most personal, is Dricus du Plessis.

Du Plessis holds two wins over Strickland — the decision that stripped him of his first title reign, and an earlier fight before either man reached the title picture. The South African defeated Kamaru Usman at UFC Oklahoma City earlier this month, keeping himself firmly in the middleweight conversation and making an argument that is difficult for the promotion to ignore. Strickland has unfinished business there that most fighters in his position would want resolved.

Whether the next fight is a rematch, a new challenge, or something that emerges from matchmaking conversations that are still ongoing, the timeline is expected to become clear soon.