Sean Strickland eventually faced off with UFC middleweight champion Israel Adesanya at UFC 293, initially giving Adesanya his shoulder at staredowns before squaring up for cameras, all the while interacting with fans and insulting the defending champ.
Sean Strickland took a bit longer than usual before eventually facing off with UFC middleweight champion, Israel Adesanya. Their anticipated showdown occuring on a Saturday at the UFC 293 saw the rival fighters in a face-off.
During the staredowns for the pay-per-view presser that took place at Qudos Bank Arena in Sydney, Strickland initially gave Adesanya the cold shoulder. Rather than facing his rival straight on, he opted to commune with fans in attendance, showering them with praise while simultaneously belittling Adesanya.
However, after a little coaxing, Strickland finally squared up with Adesanya for the cameras but continues to focus his attention towards the audience. Furthermore, he didn’t drop his arrogant demeanor, as was evident by the wide grin he wore as he derisively referred to his rival as the “Chinese champion”, mocking Adesanya’s long kickboxing career overseas. Videos showcasing this staredown and the rest from the press conference are available for viewing.