Kayla Harrison tapped out Sean Strickland 'like 20 times' in American Top Team session

UFC middleweight champion Sean Strickland conceded he was no match for Kayla Harrison on the mat during a joint training session at American Top Team in Coconut Creek, Florida, with the two-time Olympic gold medallist submitting him by his own count around 20 times.

Harrison (19-1) filmed the aftermath on her Instagram Stories, asking Strickland directly: “Who f**ked you up?” The middleweight champion’s answer was disarmingly candid. “[Kayla] tapped me out like 20 times,” Strickland said. “She did some Japanese throws I can’t pronounce because I’m American.”

The session offered a vivid reminder of Harrison’s elite grappling credentials. A two-time Olympic gold medallist in judo, she made her UFC debut in 2024 and claimed the women’s bantamweight title in just her third promotional outing, dethroning Julianna Pena. She was scheduled to defend the belt against Amanda Nunes at UFC 324 earlier this year but was forced to withdraw due to a neck injury.

Strickland (31-7), meanwhile, is coming off one of the most surprising results of 2025 — a second middleweight title reign secured via upset victory over Khamzat Chimaev last May. He is currently sidelined with a shoulder injury, and potential rematches against both Chimaev and Nassourdine Imavov have been floated as options for his return.