At UFC 293, Sean Strickland defeated Israel Adesanya in a unanimous decision, securing the UFC middleweight championship, which marks his seventh win in nine fights since returning to the 185-pound division.
Sean Strickland reestablished his championship caliber credentials at UFC 293. He outscored Israel Adesanya over five rounds in a marquee match that saw him claim a unanimous decision nomination for the UFC middleweight champion title. The Sydney showdown was Strickland’s biggest career triumph to date, representing his seventh win in the last nine fights since returning to the 185-pound division.
Although there were times when Strickland’s success didn’t seem as though it would translate into a future title, he more than proved his mettle in his title fight with Adesanya. At the post-fight press conference, Strickland declared, “I think I’m one of the best strikers in the world; I can spar with any world champion boxer and get the better of them. I just think I’m one of the best strikers in the world.” He continued to express confidence in his ability to fight and defeat top-level opponents.
Strickland’s decision to face Adesanya at UFC 293 made him a contentious choice, largely due to his controversial public persona. He often engaged in verbal jousts with Adesanya during the pre-fight press conference. Asked if his incessant talk led Adesanya to underestimate him, Strickland responded, “Apparently so, I feel like the guy didn’t even try. I think I run my mouth a lot and people forget I can fight, but here we are.”
Strickland was a near 5-to-1 underdog heading into Saturday’s contest, making him one of the biggest UFC title fight long shots in recent memory. Despite the odds stacked against him, he managed to defy expectations. Even Strickland claimed to have surprised himself, reminiscing, “You watch Izzy go and mess everybody up, and you walk through him pretty easily, it’s kinda weird.” Adesanya was coming off a loss from UFC 287 rematch with longtime rival Alex Pereira. Several middleweight contenders, including Dricus Du Plessis and the winner of the upcoming UFC 294 between Paulo Costa and Khamzat Chimaev, are waiting on the sidelines. Asked if he’d like his first defense title against Adesanya, Strickland shrugged off the suggestion, stating, “At the end of the day, I’m the champion, line them up, I’ll knock them down or get knocked down.”