The Middleweight title race is in disarray as Dricus du Plessis has caused a major upset by dominating Robert Whittaker, dealing the former champion his first defeat at 185 pounds outside of a title fight. This impressive victory has earned the South African contender a title shot. Following the high-stakes bout, a heated confrontation with current champion Israel Adesanya took place at UFC 290.
This likely prompted the UFC to schedule the title bout for UFC 293 on September 10 in Sydney, Australia. “Stillknocks,” who is currently recuperating from the intense Whittaker fight, is not really getting a sufficient amount of time to recover. Consequently, Adesanya has chosen to offer the next title shot to Sean Strickland presumably because “Tarzan” holds the highest ranking among Middleweights who haven’t challenged Israel yet.
Truth behind UFC’s decision to not book Sean Strickland vs Israel Adesanya
Strickland expressed his disappointment, stating that “someone at the UFC dropped the ball” for not scheduling a main event for a card that is less than two months away. He also alluded to financial matters, suggesting that there might have been difficulties in reaching a financial agreement between him and the UFC.
Everything appeared to be set in stone, but Strickland is now claiming otherwise on Twitter. “UFC don’t want it… sorry man,” Strickland said in response to a fan.
Ufc don't want it.. sorry man
— Sean Strickland (@SStricklandMMA) July 26, 2023
Should Strickland not secure the title shot, the UFC’s next course of action remains uncertain. Jared Cannonier desires a chance at the title, but it’s uncertain if he would be willing to accept a rematch against Adesanya, considering it could be his last opportunity to claim the gold, especially on such short notice.
Other options like Khamzat Chimaev and Paulo Costa have already committed to fighting each other, and other top-ranked fighters like Whittaker and Vettori have recently suffered defeats. This limited availability of suitable opponents might prevent Adesanya from competing in Australia.
What is Sean Strickland UFC record?
Sean Strickland, also known as “Tarzan,” is a 32-year-old American MMA fighter hailing from New Bern, North Carolina, U.S. He was born on February 27, 1991. Strickland embarked on his Mixed Martial Arts journey at the young age of 17, making his debut on March 22, 2008.
With 15 years and three months of professional MMA experience, Strickland has an impressive record of 32 fights, securing 27 wins and encountering 5 losses. As of July 2023, his record stands at 27-5, with 11 wins by knockout, 4 wins via submission, and 2 losses by knockout.
Among Sean Strickland’s most remarkable fights and notable triumphs are his victories against Brendan Allen, Abusupiyan Magomedov, Bill Albrecht, Matt Lagler, Bubba McDaniel, Nordine Taleb, and Brandon Hunt.
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