Former middleweight champion Sean Strickland has been embroiled in controversy after punching Luis Hernandez in a cage, on Saturday night, however, not in the UFC octagon.
The unexpected encounter happened at a regional show, Tuff-N-Uff 145, in Las Vegas, where Strickland and fellow UFC fighter Chris Curtis were cornering their Xtreme Couture teammate Miles Hungsinger.
Even with a star-studded corner, Hungsinger was submitted in the second round via a standing guillotine choke by Hernandez, who did not waste time before going towards Hungsinger’s corner.
This is when the event turned sour, with Hernandez directing several crude gestures towards the corner, including the “crotch chop”, which seemed to be the final straw for Strickland and Curtis.
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As you can see from the footage, Strickland and Curtis stormed into the octagon, where the ugly scenes ensued with Strickland throwing two right straights at Hernandez before being dragged away by officials.
Curtis was not forced off immediately, bizarrely being able to hold Hernandez on the cage for a while longer before the pair were separated.
Strickland took to social media to address the incident in the most Sean Strickland way possible:
“I’m the first one to shake their hand and say ‘I wish you well, on to the next one. But after the fight this guy comes up to me, calls me by name, ‘Strickland’, calls me a b****, says he’s going to f*** me up. [He] Does the hand gesture…[and} as a man, I’m not capable not to answer that. If I walk down the street, if I leave my house and somebody says that, my soul will not allow that to not go unanswered. I cannot do it, I cannot f***** do it…”.
There has been no disciplinary action yet for Strickland from the Nevada State Athletic Commission (NSAC), who could suspend his license as a coach and fighter.
This is bad news for Israel Adesanya, who told Ariel Helwani he wants the rematch against Strickland next.
“Sean. No question. He lost his last fight. I lost my fight. And it’s like, ‘Alright. Cool. Want a rematch?”
Both fighters have lost their last fight; however, the potential bout may have to be put on hold depending on if the NSAC decide to sanction Strickland.
