Two-time UFC middleweight champion Sean Strickland carries a chaotic personality on the microphone. Combat sports fans are used to his wild rants, but his actual upbringing and personal history are filled with intense real-world trauma.
Recently, Strickland bared his soul deeper than usual, shifting from his loud sports persona to share a night that came close to ending his life while he was dating a woman named Jackie.
Sean Strickland’s Raw Confession About Russian Roulette Near-Miss
During a recent appearance on the “Shawn Ryan Show,” Strickland explained that he loaded a single bullet into a gun, spun it, and cocked the hammer while Jackie watched in tears. Right before things went too far, she stepped in and pulled the weapon away.
The UFC Middleweight Champion admitted that thinking about that night “gives me chills to this day. I put the round in and I spin it. I cock it back and she starts f—– crying and grabs the gun. I was like ‘let’s just see what would’ve happened’. I opened it up – I was about to shoot myself in the f*cking head. She literally saved my life.”
Sean Strickland says he nearly shot himself in the head playing Russian Roulette
“It gives me chills to this day. I put the round in and I spin it. I cock it back and she starts f*cking crying and grabs the gun.
I was like ‘let’s just see what would’ve happened’. I opened it up…
— Championship Rounds (@ChampRDS) July 27, 2026
That dark moment stands in total contrast to how Strickland lives today. Chaotic relationships and near-death scares defined his past, but his personal life has completely turned around. In Oct. 2025, Strickland married his long-term partner, KJ. He constantly praises his new wife for helping him manage his childhood trauma and keeping him grounded outside of the Octagon.
For years, Strickland has been open about growing up in a violent home, dropping out of school early, and spending parts of his youth essentially homeless on gym floors. He won the UFC title back in 2023, and he always credits fighting that gave his anger a safe place to go. But this Russian roulette story with Jackie showed how horrific his mind was in his early days.
What is Next for Sean Strickland After Winning the Middleweight Title?
After shattering Khamzat Chimaev’s undefeated streak and reclaiming the UFC middleweight title at UFC 328, Strickland is not rushing to plot his next move. Right now, he is focused on recovering from shoulder and nose injuries, opting for stem cell therapy over surgery while getting back into training at the UFC Performance Institute.
Strickland told fans online that he wants to get back into the cage by December to pull off an unusual third fight in 2026. Meanwhile, Chimaev and his camp are absolutely obsessed with getting a rematch. Chimaev’s team went public, stating that a rematch against Strickland is the only fight they will accept, even pushing for an October date in Abu Dhabi.
Chimaev has taken to social media to accuse the new champion of ducking him, telling Strickland to accept the fight and stop running. While Strickland has not yet directly answered the callout, UFC CEO Dana White has kept his options open, noting that Strickland will face anyone once he is fully healed.
However, Dricus du Plessis recently threw water into Chimaev’s push plans, telling reporters that Strickland needs to defend his belt against Nassourdine Imavov before anyone else gets a shot. Coming right after Du Plessis beat Kamaru Usman by decision at UFC Oklahoma City, this endorsement makes the middleweight title storyline much more interesting.
