UFC middleweight champion Sean Strickland has revealed the date for his return to the Octagon in what will be his first title defense.

Strickland defeated Khamzat Chimaev via split decision at UFC 328 in May in what was a gritty fight that went five rounds. However, he went into the fight with a bum shoulder, and he needs some time off to heal up after fighting Chimaev and Anthony Hernandez since the start of 2026.

Sean Strickland Reveals Return Date

Taking to his social media, Strickland responded to a fan who asked him when we can expect to see him back in the Octagon. According to the UFC middleweight champ, he’s looking at a December return date.

“We’re looking at a December return… Just cant become a fat POS while I heal up haha,” Strickland wrote on his X.

Based on what the calendar looks like, December will likely have a numbered card in Las Vegas, Strickland’s home base, for what would presumably be 334 or UFC 335. It makes perfect sense, then, that Strickland headlines that card in his first UFC middleweight title defense since he reclaimed the belt from Chimaev.

Who Will Sean Strickland Fight in His UFC Return?

As for who Strickland will fight in his first title defense, we don’t know yet what the UFC is thinking.

Originally, UFC president Dana White said that Nassourdine Imavov would be next in line to fight Strickland. But after Chimaev took to social media and said he wants the rematch, White admitted that the UFC braintrust is still deciding what they want to do.

On paper, Imavov deserves the title shot more because he has won five straight fights and is coming off back-to-back impressive wins over Caio Borralho and Israel Adesanya. But Chimaev is a bigger name, and if the UFC thinks the rematch with Strickland is the bigger fight, he may get the rematch instead.

We’ll likely find out in the next little while what the UFC intends to do, but right now, look for Chimaev to be the frontrunner to get the rematch with Strickland just because it’s the bigger fight.