Why is Sean Strickland being handed suspension after middleweight title win over Khamzat Chimaev at UFC 328?

UFC 328 delivered major action inside the Octagon, but the event also left several fighters dealing with serious physical damage. The New Jersey State Athletic Control Board released a long list of medical suspensions after the event in Newark, with 11 athletes receiving indefinite suspensions until they receive medical clearance. Newly crowned middleweight champion Sean Strickland was one of the biggest names affected after reclaiming the title in a brutal contest against Khamzat Chimaev.

Although Strickland walked away with the championship belt, his body appears to have paid a heavy price for the victory. The American fighter later revealed several shoulder-related injuries and admitted he entered the fight with an existing issue. UFC 328 also saw other fighters suffer significant damage.

Sean Strickland faces an uncertain recovery period after title-winning battle

Sean Strickland successfully regained the UFC middleweight championship after defeating Khamzat Chimaev. However, the win may come with a lengthy recovery period. The New Jersey State Athletic Control Board issued him an indefinite suspension until he receives medical clearance for his left hand injury.

After the fight, Strickland admitted that the five-round battle took a major physical toll on him. He said that he felt the effects of the contest immediately and acknowledged that his body had suffered considerable damage during the title fight.

Later, Strickland provided more details on X and revealed multiple shoulder injuries. The list reportedly included an AC joint separation, a serious SLAP tear, and rotator cuff damage. He suggested that the road to recovery could now become difficult.

Strickland also shared that not all of the damage happened during the fight itself. He explained that he had suffered a shoulder problem earlier in fight week while training. According to him, the injury occurred during a sparring session with fellow fighter Johnny Eblen at Plinio Cruz’s gym.

The champion described how he crashed into a hard wall during the training session and immediately felt pain in his shoulder. He admitted feeling frustrated after realizing the mistake and recalled struggling with discomfort in the days leading up to the fight.

Strickland also explained that the injury changed his normal fight preparation routine. Instead of pushing hard during warmups, he chose to limit movement because he feared worsening the shoulder problem before entering the Octagon.

The flyweight champion Joshua Van also received an indefinite suspension because of a hand injury. Tatsuro Taira received a 90-day suspension following his knockout loss. Meanwhile Jeremy Stephens and Jim Miller also require medical clearance before returning to action.




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