It has been a little over a month since Sean Strickland shocked the world at UFC 328, dethroning Khamzat Chimaev in a competitive five-round battle.

Unfortunately, the victory did not come without a cost. In the immediate aftermath, Strickland revealed a significant shoulder injury on his right side, which perhaps explains why Strickland did not throw many right hands in the latter half of the fight. Either way, the new Middleweight kingpin begins his second reign on the sidelines, but perhaps not for as long as initially thought.

Per a social media post, Strickland could be back in the cage before the end of the year.

"We're looking at a December return," Strickland told a fan on X. "Just cant become a fat POS while I heal up haha."

An Unusual Schedule for a Champion

In this modern era, it is somewhat common to see a champion only fight once each year with two title fights considered the norm. Strickland has already competed twice in 2026, defeating both Anthony Hernandez and Khamzat, so a December return would be an impressive and unusual third showing. That is a hectic schedule for a champion, particularly considering Strickland has been fighting since 2008 and has a known injury.

Who's Next?

The next question is who Strickland would face. The Khamzat rematch is always a viable option, and Nassourdine Imavov has been waiting around for a title shot for some time now. Alternatively, Dricus du Plessis vs. Kamaru Usman is a high-profile main event coming up in just a few weeks, and both men hold victories over Strickland.

There are a lot of options, but hopefully one materializes in December.