Between last week’s Fight Night in Saudi Arabia, this weekend’s PPV in Australia, and next weekend’s card at The Apex – middleweights take center stage with back-to-back-to-back fundamental events.
February, aka ‘Middleweight Month’, actually kicked off in dramatic fashion as surging French contender Nassourdine Imavov knocked out Israel Adesanya within the second round in Riyadh.
In the times since, countless UFC superstars each past and present have come out to send heartwarming messages of support to ‘The Last Stylebender’ – including considered one of his most infamous title foes.
Sean Strickland says Israel Adesanya doesn’t owe anyone anything after KO
From Khabib Nurmagomedov to Francis Ngannou, former middleweight champion Israel Adesanya has received messages of support and adulation from across the MMA world.
Given how his shock KO loss got here only one week before the middleweight title is ready to be contested within the fundamental event of UFC 312, it’s no surprise that Sean Strickland has now been asked about his former rival suffering his third consecutive defeat.
“I mean, at the tip of the day dude, Izzy is a f——, he’s [already] made his legacy,” said Strickland in a highly edited interview on FoxSports Australia.
“If you should proceed to fight, then proceed to fight but you’ve done what you’ve already done. You don’t really got to prove anything man, you’re a long-lasting name in the game, such as you’ve chiseled your name into it.”
Strickland, who has himself suffered six losses within the UFC, argued that there was “no shame” on Adesanya’s part in losing to the following generation of fighters – which Nassourdine Imavov firmly represents.
“No shame, you’re getting older, and it happens, you realize.”
A clip of those remarks made its way onto social media, with nearly all of responses agreeing with the previous champion: “He’s absolutely right. It’ll be tough to speak in regards to the biggest MW fighters in UFC history and never bring up Izzy.”
“Agree with Strickland on this one. There’s nothing left for Izzy to perform, he’s already a UFC legend no matter what he does next.”
“The one meaningful words ever spoken by Strickland.”
Strickland attempts to emulate Adesanya by re-claiming gold at UFC 312
Paradoxically, Sean Strickland shall be attempting to emulate Israel Adesanya’s iconic re-capturing of the middleweight title when he rematches Dricus Du Plessis within the fundamental event of UFC 312.
‘Stylebender’ famously lost the title via KO to Alex Pereira in late 2022, only to re-claim the belt just five months later with a vicious knockout of his own.
By comparison, Du Plessis claimed the 185lb belt in a razor-close split decision in January 2024, and it’s secure to say that Strickland is eager to put a definitive stamp on his latest championship rivalry.
Speaking via ESPN MMA, ‘Tarzan’ would suggest that he needs ‘more pressure and fewer skill’ down under and that he must avoid being opened up across the eye again.
“The hard thing was once I got that cut, it really modified the dynamic of the fight, but I just think with this fight, it just must be a dog fight. More pressure, less skill.”
“It was more the cut [than anything else], said Strickland.
“I mean after that headbutt, they’d to stitch muscle, it was so deep. And I’m a person of vision, should you take my vision [away] it’s like here you go.”
UFC 312: Du Plessis vs Strickland 2 goes down live from Australia on Saturday, February 8.
