Sean Strickland returned to Las Vegas this week carrying UFC gold after reclaiming the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) Middleweight title at UFC 328 last weekend (Sat., May 9, 2026), defeating Khamzat Chimaev via razor-close split decision inside Prudential Center in Newark, New Jersey (official scorecards here).
And after briefly celebrating in “The Garden State,” Strickland made sure to bring the belt straight back to the gym that helped build him: Xtreme Couture.
Check out
the moment below:
“After every L I got, I went back and came to the gym, and that is why I got another one of these [titles],” Strickland told teammates during the gym celebration. “That being said, as always, I want to thank you guys. I’m pretty f—ked up so I’m going to take a few weeks off.
“But I wouldn’t be here without you guys, seriously — Ed, Brad, all the coaches,” Strickland continued. “I would not have won this without you guys. So this isn’t just my belt, it’s our belt.”
Head coach Eric Nicksick echoed the same sentiment while addressing the room.
“Thank you guys for all the help and hard work,” Nicksick said. “Like Sean said, it takes a village and we’re not here without you guys. I hope you guys understand that this is a very important ecosystem — and without the guys within this room we wouldn’t have the ability to continue to grow. That belt belongs to us.”
Several UFC fighters in attendance — including Edmen Shahbazyan, Kai Kamaka, and Brad Tavares — also congratulated the newly crowned champion.
Strickland (31-7) is now riding a two-fight win streak since losing his rematch against Dricus du Plessis, snapping Anthony Hernandez’s lengthy unbeaten run and becoming the first fighter to hand Chimaev a professional loss.
For complete UFC 328 results, coverage and highlights click HERE.
