Following his win, Sean Strickland was quickly called out by another fighter from his training circle.
Sean Strickland pulled off another major upset at UFC 328, edging out Khamzat Chimaev by split decision in the main event. The win earned him the middleweight title.
Even with all the build-up and extra security during fight week, it didn't take long for respect to be shown when it was over.
Just hours after his hard-fought victory in Newark, another training partner challenged Strickland. The fighter even went as far as to say he's 'the real 185lb champion' and threatened to release footage of Strickland tapping out during practice sessions.
Photo by Jack Gorman/Getty Images
A few days before UFC 328, Strickland mentioned he'd be sparring with Dillon Danis as part of his final preparation.
That prompted Dana White to remind Danis that he's still banned from attending UFC events, following multiple incidents in the crowd over the years.
Now, not long after Strickland's win, Danis has threatened to release footage that he claims shows him repeatedly tapping out the new champion.
"Congrats, Sean," wrote Danis in a post on X. "I'm releasing the footage of me tapping you non-stop and you calling the session off. I'm the real 185lb champion now."
While Danis' claim quickly gained traction online, it's worth noting his reputation for stirring controversy on social media without much substance behind it. His comments may just be another attempt to stay in the headlines.
Throughout the fight, Danis also posted criticism of Chimaev, saying: "Khamzat Chimaev you absolutely suck."
The exact details of how often Strickland and Danis have trained together are unclear. What is known is that they've shared sessions before, possibly even more recently than people realise.
Looking ahead, Strickland's next bout is expected to be a rematch against Nassourdine Imavov — a fighter he defeated back in 2023.
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