Footage shows UFC star Sean Strickland having a FIREWORKS fight with friends… less than two weeks before the middleweight title fight against Dricus du Plessis at UFC 297

UFC middleweight champion Sean Strickland was spotted in a fireworks fight in a bizarre video that surfaced on social media.

The American will make his first UFC title defense later this month when he takes on Dricus du Plessis in a five-round fight for the middleweight belt on January 21.

Strickland will no doubt already be training for the huge bout, which will be fueled by their brawl at UFC 296, but couldn’t resist having some fun along the way.

In a video that appeared on X, formerly known as Twitter, Strickland was seen having an intense fireworks battle with friends.

In the clip, posted by MMA journalist Nina Drama, Strickland and his friends decided to fire the explosives at each other – with the UFC champion opting to do it topless.

Strickland will defend his UFC middleweight title at UFC 297 later this month

After the fight is over, Strickland can be heard saying, “I got shot right in the face!” I’m fucking sick, guys! I have a title fight guys!’.

Fortunately for Strickland, and for UFC chief Dana White, he appeared to emerge from the fireworks battle without any serious injuries.

Strickland recently spoke publicly in detail for the first time about the horrific trauma he suffered and alleged child abuse.

The UFC middleweight champion is one of the most polarizing figures in the promotion and his upcoming fight with du Plessis is marred by the South African’s taunts about his youth in the lead-up.

At a press conference, Du Plessis shouted: ‘Do you think your father beat you up? Your father has nothing against me… every childhood memory you have will come flooding back when I’m there with you.”

Strickland and Du Plessis then brawled in the crowd at UFC 296 in wild scenes before being separated by security.

And continue talking Theo Von’s podcastStrickland explained what he experienced as a child and how it still affects him to this day, prompting the response to Du Plessis.

The American star will take on Dricus du Plessis (R) in a five-round fight on January 21.

Strickland and Du Plessis fought in the crowd at UFC 296 and the American has now admitted biting his middleweight rival during the wild brawl

READ ALSO  Love Island brings in SECOND huge star to perform as ITV bosses lay on a surprise day out for the islanders

He said, “I was probably in third or fourth grade, I used to sleep in my mom’s room because I thought my dad was going to kill my mom. So I slept near the door, I slept under the bed. I slept near the door because I thought my father was going to kill my mother.

‘One day it was so damn, they just had a big fight, it was like third, fourth grade, my dad said ‘f*** that, he’s not sleeping here tonight, kick him out’, so I love the military crawled under the bed, and I sleep under the bed It’s like I’m under the bed while they’re fighting, because I think my dad was going to kill my mom.

“My dad sits on top of my mom, and I remember him saying, ‘I’m going to kill you tonight.’ Maybe it’s just rough sex, we don’t know at this point. I’m under the bed and he starts choking her.

He continued, “I get out and all I can see is a guitar. I’ll just hit him in the head and call the police. I run out into the street to call the police, he gets arrested and my stupid mother breaks him out of jail. I would say this is the tip of the iceberg.”