The UFC said Sean Strickland wouldn’t be punching any more fans in Australia. But Strickland does what he wants.
Sean Strickland continues to rough up fans in Australia leading up to his UFC 293 title shot against Israel Adesanya.
Strickland barely made it a few hours in the land down under before he punched a rude Izzy fan in the stomach, and he promised anyone else could get it if they wanted some.
That prompted UFC president Dana White to call down from Las Vegas to ensure no further fan altercations occurred.
“Yes, we’re prepared for it and yes we have people around him now,” White said following Tuesday night’s Contender Series event. “So he won’t be punching people in the stomach anymore – for fun or not for fun.”
But Sean Strickland is nothing if not creative when it comes to getting around restrictions to his freedoms. “Tarzan” put out an open call to the Australian public.
“The UFC says I must do some open work outs tonight at 540,” he wrote on Twitter. “If you bring gloves I’ll spar you! Just don’t f—ing cut me! Lmao.”
Yes, some fan took him up on the offer. And yes, Strickland did have a spar with him on stage.
Sean Strickland really sparred a fan. pic.twitter.com/GopgOGFy6M
— Mike Bohn (@MikeBohn) September 6, 2023
It was all in good fun. Strickland is known for lighting up fools in the gym, but this back and forth was friendly from start to finish. Strickland popped the lucky fan in the face a few times with a jab but didn’t headhunt him or anything. No one was cut, there was no international incident. Sean hasn’t embarrassed the UFC massively in Australia. Yet.
Strickland faces an uphill battle against Adesanya on Sunday afternoon in Sydney, Australia. Bookies have him a big +480 dog to the -650 favorite Izzy. Strickland thinks he talks so much, people have forgotten he can fight as well. We’re thinking Israel Adesanya is just on a level right now where few men can touch him. Either way, it should be violent.