Foul-mouthed Sean Strickland reclaimed the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) Middleweight title last night (Sat., May 9, 2026), defeating Khamzat Chimaev via razor-close split decision in UFC 328’s main event inside Prudential Center in Newark, New Jersey (official scorecards here).
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But, the championship victory came at a painful price.
Shortly after the fight, Strickland shared a graphic photo of his battered (and clearly broken) nose on social media. And yeah, it looks rough.
Check it out below:
This marks the second consecutive major nose injury for Strickland. The outspoken champion previously broke his nose during his rematch against Dricus du Plessis, an injury he later claimed badly affected his performance and contributed to the lopsided loss.
And the damage at UFC 328 wasn’t limited to just his face.
During the post-fight press conference (re-watch that here), Strickland revealed he also suffered a Grade 1 AC joint separation in his shoulder just four days before the fight while sparring Johnny Eblen during fight week. Despite the injury, he pushed through and managed to outlast Chimaev over five grueling rounds.
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Depending on the severity of the break, Strickland’s recovery could take anywhere from six to eight weeks — or longer — before he’s cleared for full-contact training again.
Still, the newly-crowned champion likely won’t mind the pain too much considering the result.
Strickland (31-7) is now riding a two-fight win streak since losing to du Plessis, snapping Anthony Hernandez’s lengthy win streak and becoming the first fighter to hand Chimaev a professional loss.
Not bad for a guy held together by tape and stubbornness.
