Combat sports athletes have a history and backstory that make them who they are. Daniel Cormier, the UFC Hall of Famer, has had setbacks in his wrestling and personal life, which he overcame to become a champion in MMA.
Sean Strickland has had troubles in his childhood that have lasting impacts. Cormier recently spoke about Strickland and his mental struggles on his official YouTube channel and what he had to say is very interesting to hear.
Daniel Cormier raises concerns over Sean Strickland
Sean Strickland recently uploaded a video on his Instagram where he talked about his mental struggles which he attributed to the abuse he suffered from his father as a child. “I’m rich, I’m famous, I have everything I ever fcking wanted and I am still mentally unwell,” said Strickland, who went on to talk about his desire to burn everything down.
Daniel Cormier was very concerned after Strickland uploaded the video and he talked about it on his YouTube show. “Sean Strickland is a guy that has a very, very dark past. We all know that. But that dark past has served to make him a world-champion fighter and a guy that is willing to go through so much adversity,” said Cormier.
Cormier went on to state that he found similarities between Strickland’s mental struggles and Alexander Volkanovski’s as per MMA Junkie. After his loss to Islam Makhachev at UFC 294, Volkanovski openly disclosed his struggles to adapt to normal life when not in fight camp.
Strickland has always been open about his mental struggles and even broke down in Theo Von’s podcast, This Past Weekend. It came after Strickland lost his cool after Dricus du Plessis mentioned his childhood trauma that caused a brawl at UFC 296.
Danial Cormier emphasize MMA community to rally around Strickland
When Alexander Volkanovski opened up about his mental struggles, the MMA community rallied to support the former pound-for-pound king of the UFC. Daniel Cormier wants the MMA community to do the same for Sean Strickland.
“When speaking mental health and mental issues, I believe that all the biases or the opinions we have of this certain fighter whether you love him or you hate him, have to take a back seat and we have to look at the human being,” said Cormier on his YouTube channel as he urged the MMA community to help Strickland.
Even though Strickland has been open about his mental struggles, his outspoken comments have come at odds with many in the UFC, like Ian Machado Garry, Dricus du Plessis, and Colby ‘Chaos’ Covington.
Strickland’s feud with Garry is particularly personal, as Garry’s wife is a target of Strickland’s insensitive remarks. Moreover, he is very critical of Covington’s persona. However, his feud with du Plessis is purely along professional lines.
What do you make of Daniel Cormier’s take on Sean Strickland’s mental struggles? Leave your thoughts below!
