Sean Strickland was surprisingly popular with Australian fans during UFC 293 fight week, with his performance and subsequent win over Israel Adesanya in Sydney similarly shocking fans and disrupting the middleweight division, all of which former middleweight champion Robert Whittaker saw as a reflection on how fighters represent themselves and cultivate their fan base.
MMA fighter Sean Strickland’s popularity among the Australian fans during UFC 293 took many by surprise. Even though Strickland, an American, was pitted against New Zealand opponent Israel Adesanya on foreign ground, Australian fans rallied behind him enthusiastically. He seemed to charm the crowd with his charisma, leading up to his monumental victory at the UFC middleweight title in Sydney.
However, former middleweight champion Robert Whittaker wasn’t taken aback by this unexpected surge of support for Strickland. Whittaker pointed out that he and Adesanya have never been friends. Therefore, it was not surprising for him to observe the crowd’s growing fondness for Strickland. He attributed some of this adoration to Strickland’s hat, which resembled that of the character Crocodile Dundee, an iconic Australian film character.
Whittaker, with a laugh, acknowledged that Sean might have offended many people, but hasn’t done so in Australia yet. It might have been a factor in his popularity. He believes the fans who cheered at UFC 293 like good, hard fights. Strickland’s performance bestowed him with the privilege of causing one of the biggest upsets in the middleweight division, which Whittaker believes might have endeared him to the crowd further.
Strickland’s unexpected triumph not only won over the hearts of the crowd, but also shook the MMA world. His domination over Adesanya in the octagon for 25 minutes was a momentous upset in the UFC history. This win over Adesanya revitalized the hopes of numerous former opponents, including Whittaker, who could possibly contest for the middleweight title. His victory also abruptly halted the anticipated rivalry between Adesanya and South African contender Dricus Du Plessis. Their conflict had revolved around their shared African origin and their respective rights to declare themselves as African-born UFC fighters.