Sean Strickland thanked Australian fans for their support during the weigh-ins for UFC 293, asserting his opponent, middleweight champion Israel Adesanya, as the “bad guy” in their main event matchup.
Sean Strickland, an MMA fighter, doesn’t perceive Australia as a hostile environment. He made this statement during UFC 293’s ceremonial weigh-ins on Friday, where he capitalized on his stage presence to charm the Sydney crowd. He expressed his gratitude for their warm welcome and positioned his opponent, middleweight champion Israel Adesanya, as the antagonist in their headline fight.
Strickland commented on his favorable reception, attributing it to the fans’ lack of love for Adesanya, often known as Izzy. He said, “I’m getting support, not because you guys like me, but because Izzy sucks. When I represent your country more than Izzy does, it’s easy to support me.” He further showed his dedication to the fight, profusely thanking the fans for their encouragement and pledging to give them an unforgettable match even at personal costs.
Constantly, Strickland has criticized Adesanya’s persona in the anticipation of Saturday’s title fight. Earlier during the week, he made derogatory remarks about Adesanya, stating his belief that Adesanya lacks popularity among people. Responding, Adesanya chose to stay relatively quiet during Friday’s ceremonial weigh-in, silently promising to silence Strickland on the fight night. He said, “Don’t think about him, it’s not about me, it’s about we. I’ve got a great team behind me, great countries behind me, great cultures behind me, but enough of all that. Tomorrow [raises finger to lips].” The UFC 293 is set to take place on Saturday at Qudos Bank Arena in Sydney, Australia.