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Brett Okamoto
Former UFC middleweight champion Sean Strickland has received a six-month suspension from the Nevada State Athletic Commission for his part in a physical altercation with another fighter at an MMA event in June.
The NSAC suspended Strickland, 34, and fined him $5,000 during its monthly meeting on Thursday. The suspension is dated retroactively to the time of the altercation, which took place on June 29 at a Tuff-N-Uff event in Las Vegas. It will expire on Dec. 29, although Strickland can reduce the suspension to 4.5 months if he completes an anger management course.
Strickland, who lives in Las Vegas, entered the cage after a fighter he coaches, Miles Hunsinger, suffered a submission loss to Luis Hernandez. Immediately after the bout, Hernandez taunted Hunsinger’s corner, which drew a response from Strickland and fellow UFC fighter Chris Curtis. Video captured Strickland throwing a pair of punches at Hernandez. The NSAC also fined Curtis $2,500 for his role in the incident.
Strickland (29-7) has not fought since he came up short in a UFC title bid against then-champion Dricus Du Plessis in February. He did not have a bout scheduled at the time of the incident in June.