Credit: Ed Mulholland/Zuffa LLC

UFC middleweight champion Sean Strickland saved a man from drowning in a scary scene ahead of his first title defense.

Sean Strickland has developed a strong fan base amidst his success inside the Octagon. The brash UFC middleweight champion has opened up on his horrific childhood and inner demons, making him relatable to a portion of the UFC’s fans.

Strickland reclaimed the UFC middleweight throne by defeating Khamzat Chimaev at UFC 328 earlier this year. As of this writing, a date and opponent aren’t set for Strickland’s first title defense, but those details are expected to be finalized soon.

In the meantime, Strickland is enjoying some time in and out of the gym, but tragedy nearly struck during a trip to a local lake.

Strickland and a few of his friends were jumping from a cliff about 50 feet high in Nevada when one of his friends took his turn. After expressing anxiety about the jump, his friend safely jumped into the water below, but he struggled to keep his head above water as he swam against the current.

This led Strickland to step in and save his friend as his head began to dip underwater.

WATCH: Sean Strickland saves friend from drowning near Las Vegas home

Watch Strickland spring into action below.

😯🏊 Sean Strickland saved a man from drowning

He didn’t believe him unitil his head went under water, then he jumped in to save him. Crazy 🤯

(via @SStricklandMMA) 🔹 pic.twitter.com/cb9PcYbum3

— Home of Fight (@Home_of_Fight) July 30, 2026

Luckily, no one was hurt, and Strickland played hero.

Strickland has no shortage of options for his next opponent after reclaiming the middleweight throne. A rematch with Chimaev is possible, as is a matchup with top middleweight contender Nassourdine Imavov.

Dricus du Plessis also makes an intriguing case after defeating Kamaru Usman at UFC OKC earlier this month. Strickland holds two losses against Du Plessis.

Who should Sean Strickland fight in his first middleweight title defense? Let us know your thoughts in the comments!

This article appeared first on BJPENN.COM