Sean Strickland laughs off Shara Magomedov’s “coward, domestic champion” criticism, announces comeback timeline following Khamzat Chimaev win

Sean Strickland has responded after Shara Magomedov questioned both his willingness to fight outside the United States and his status as UFC middleweight champion. The exchange comes just days after Magomedov earned a unanimous decision victory over Michel Pereira at UFC Baku.The Russian middleweight used his post-fight interview to call out Strickland and claimed the American avoids competing overseas. Strickland quickly answered on social media, brushing aside the comments while pointing to Magomedov’s recent fight against his teammate Michel Pereira. At the same time, the champion also revealed that he is targeting a return to action before the end of the year.

Sean Strickland dismisses Shara Magomedov’s remarks while confirming December comeback plans

Following his win over Michel Pereira, Shara Magomedov did not hold back when discussing Sean Strickland.

The undefeated Russian suggested that the UFC champion prefers to fight only in the United States and predicted that the two would eventually meet inside the Octagon. Magomedov also claimed Strickland would be uncomfortable competing in Abu Dhabi and hinted that the champion benefits from staying on American cards because of the medical clearance issues he faces in the United States.

Strickland was quick to respond on X. Rather than engaging in a lengthy war of words, he laughed off the criticism and reminded Magomedov that he had just fought one of his teammates.

The champion suggested that there are different levels of competition and implied that Magomedov still has plenty to prove before earning a shot at the title.Strickland’s reply appeared to reference Michel Pereira, who prepared for UFC Baku at Xtreme Couture. During the training camp, videos showed Strickland helping Pereira by copying some of Magomedov’s striking movements in sparring sessions. After defeating Pereira, Magomedov admitted he had watched those clips but insisted they made little difference to the outcome.

He also repeated his belief that Strickland prefers competing in the United States, saying that such circumstances work in the champion’s favor.While the rivalry continues to build, Strickland is currently focused on recovering from injuries. The middleweight champion captured the belt with a hard-fought victory over Khamzat Chimaev at UFC 328. Soon after that win, discussions about an immediate rematch began, with Chimaev making it clear that another fight with Strickland is the matchup he wants most.However, Strickland has repeatedly explained that he intends to heal before accepting another title defense. Even during his recovery, he has remained active in the gym. The American has recently been seen training with Indian UFC fighter Anshul Jubli and also assisted Michel Pereira ahead of the UFC Baku event.When a fan recently asked about his return schedule on X, Strickland revealed that his team is aiming for a December comeback. He joked that his biggest challenge during the recovery period is staying in shape and avoiding putting on unnecessary weight before he is cleared to compete again.