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Sean Strickland Details Leaving UFC Champion Coach’s Gym Because He Was Not A ‘Leader’: ‘Don’t Think He Carries The Passion For It…’

Sean Strickland appears to have landed in the perfect gym for his training style. For starters, his heavy emphasis on sparring is helped by how many fighters are always passing through the Xtreme Couture gym in Las Vegas. He has also been able to develop a great relationship with the head coach, Eric Nicksick, who […]

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Sean Strickland appears to have landed in the perfect gym for his training style.

For starters, his heavy emphasis on sparring is helped by how many fighters are always passing through the Xtreme Couture gym in Las Vegas.

He has also been able to develop a great relationship with the head coach, Eric Nicksick, who is able to handle Strickland’s zany energy.

Before he found his way to Xtreme Couture, the former UFC middleweight champion was training out of another top gym – but it didn’t suit him quite as well.

Sean Strickland Compares The Coaching Styles Of Eric Nicksick And John Wood

Syndicate MMA, also in Las Vegas, is another gym that has achieved a lot of success at the highest level of the sport.

Veteran coach John Wood has been in the corner of several UFC champions, including Weili Zhang and most recently, Merab Dvalishvili.

Strickland eventually decided to leave Syndicate before making his way to Xtreme Couture, for a few different reasons.

One of those reasons was his connection with Nicksick that was very different to the relationship that he had with Wood, due to their different coaching styles.

On a recent episode of Nicksick’s Verse Us podcast, Strickland explained the difference between them and why he felt more at home after making the switch,

“Let’s say John wrote an entire book on MMA and you’re like, ‘Oh that’s a good book,’ and say Eric would write a pamphlet, that pamphlet will take you farther than that book, you know what I’m saying? Because like Eric is a leader. He knows how to implement it, he knows how to push it and he knows how to do it.

“John, on the other hand, he’s more of like, I don’t think he carries the passion for it like you watch, you come to a Monday practice, Eric’s f****** involved bro. The amount of energy he brings, like he is f****** involved. You go to a Syndicate practice, it’s like, ‘Alright we’re going to do wall stuff for like five minutes’.”

Continue Reading Sean Strickland Details Leaving UFC Champion Coach’s Gym Because He Was Not A ‘Leader’: ‘Don’t Think He Carries The Passion For It…’ at MMA News.

MMA Coach Breaks Down Potential Alex Pereira vs Dricus Du Plessis Fight: ‘Ji?í Is Very Similar To Dricus…’

Following the main event of UFC 305, Alex Pereira kickstarted talks of a champion vs champion clash with a post on social media. Dricus Du Plessis was able to defend his middleweight title this past weekend by submitting Israel Adesanya in the fourth round. Though he would appear to be facing Sean Strickland in a […]

Continue Reading MMA Coach Breaks Down Potential Alex Pereira vs Dricus Du Plessis Fight: ‘Ji?í Is Very Similar To Dricus…’ at MMA News.

Following the main event of UFC 305, Alex Pereira kickstarted talks of a champion vs champion clash with a post on social media.

Dricus Du Plessis was able to defend his middleweight title this past weekend by submitting Israel Adesanya in the fourth round.

Though he would appear to be facing Sean Strickland in a rematch next and Pereira is booked to defend his light heavyweight crown at UFC 307, “Poatan” teased that he could move back down to 185-pounds to try and reclaim the middleweight strap.

Du Plessis has been underrated for a lot of his UFC career but being able to add Pereira to his record but would be a massive moment for “Stillknocks”.

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A post shared by Alex "Poatan" Pereira (@alexpoatanpereira)

Eric Nicksick Says Alex Pereira’s Counter-Striking Would Be A Big Problem For Dricus Du Plessis

Xtreme Couture head coach Eric Nicksick gave his thoughts on how that potential fight could play out during a recent interview with Submission Radio.

Nicksick has spent a long time breaking down Du Plessis’ unorthodox movement, timing and technique due to him being Strickland’s head coach.

He believes that unlike Adesanya and Strickland, Pereira presents a huge problem to the middleweight champion because of his accuracy and power.

Many have highlighted in the past how Du Plessis does leave himself open to taking damage even if his aggressive style is incredibly effective.

This is where Nicksick believes that you can’t afford to leave any gaps for “Poatan” to capitalize on, using Pereira’s fights against the incredibly dangerous and unpredictable Ji?í Procházka to illustrate his point.

“So comparison wise, think about what Alex Pereira would do to a guy like Ji?í Procházka and Ji?í’s very similar to Dricus in the erratic behaviour of the way he throws his punches. I think Ji?í is more of a feel fighter where he’s not putting predisposed combinations in his head off of these types of reads, he’s just kind of throwing. Whereas Dricus is throwing these things but he’s also leaving his hands behind in certain positions right, like if he’s hitting that switch cross or switch overhand, it’s like one hand’s in the pocket, the other hand’s in the pocket when he’s throwing that looping overhand.

“That’s where I think Alex Pereira is elite. I think he sees the holes in the defense so Dricus kind of hits those a couple times and Alex catches that timing, that’s where his counter striking is so great. I think that’s where Dricus will have problems. I don’t think you can have that same type of approach as many times as he did against Izzy as he could against Alex Pereira. It’s like that using the same pickup line at the bar with the same girl over and over and over and finally she’s like, ‘Fine, here, f*** it, here’s my number’. But after a while, you’re like dude, this is not going to work but then all of a sudden it works.”

Continue Reading MMA Coach Breaks Down Potential Alex Pereira vs Dricus Du Plessis Fight: ‘Ji?í Is Very Similar To Dricus…’ at MMA News.

Francis Ngannou’s Coach Lends Insight Into UFC Split

Former UFC heavyweight champion Francis Ngannou’s head coach, Eric Nicksick, has given his side to what led to Ngannou’s UFC release. The MMA community was shocked when news of Ngannou’s release from the UFC broke on Saturday. It was …

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Sean Strickland’s Coach Names The Type Of Fighter Who Can Be Khamzat Chimaev’s ‘Kryptonite’

Sean Strickland’s coach, Eric Nicksick, recently shared his insights on a tactical approach that could be key to conquering Khamzat Chimaev in a fight. Chimaev is poised to make his highly anticipated return in a five-round middleweight showdown against Robert Whittaker, serving as the co-main event of UFC 308, scheduled for October 26 at the […]

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Sean Strickland’s coach, Eric Nicksick, recently shared his insights on a tactical approach that could be key to conquering Khamzat Chimaev in a fight.

Chimaev is poised to make his highly anticipated return in a five-round middleweight showdown against Robert Whittaker, serving as the co-main event of UFC 308, scheduled for October 26 at the Etihad Arena in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates.

Initially, both fighters were slated to headline UFC Fight Night in Saudi Arabia on June 22. However, just weeks before the showdown, “Borz” was forced to withdraw due to an undisclosed illness. In a last-minute effort to save the main event, Ikram Aliskerov stepped up on short notice. Whittaker made quick work of Aliskerov, delivering a knockout victory in under two minutes.

The undefeated Chechen has earned a formidable reputation for his relentless and dominating fighting style. However, in the past two years, Chimaev’s momentum has been hampered by various setbacks, with illness being the primary factor behind his reduced activity.

Chimaev made his long-awaited return to the Octagon after a 13-month hiatus, squaring off against former welterweight champion Kamaru Usman at UFC 294 last October. He dominated the first round with a strong start, but the fight quickly became intense as Usman staged a spirited comeback, turning the next two rounds into a fiercely competitive contest. Despite the back-and-forth battle, Chimaev ultimately secured a majority decision victory.

Nicksick believes that if “The Reaper” can weather Chimaev’s explosive onslaught in the first two rounds, he’ll present the toughest challenge “Borz” has ever encountered in the Octagon…

Nicksick Suggests Chimaev Might Falter If Pushed To ‘Deep Waters’ in Later Rounds

During a recent interview with Red Corner MMA, Nicksick provided his analysis of the showdown between Whittaker and Chimaev. The respected MMA coach heaped praise on Whittaker, hailing him as one of the all-time greats in the middleweight division, and voiced his confidence that the former champion has the potential to deliver the toughest test Chimaev has ever faced in his career.

“I mean, it’s a great fight. You know, I think Rob has been somewhat overlooked in his last few fights, especially with the way he got beat by Dricus [Du Plessis],” Nicksick said. “Then he comes back the way he has. Robert Whittaker, I think, would have been a champion for a long time if it hadn’t been for Israel Adesanya. It’s like there’s always someone’s Kryptonite that comes into play… This is the matchup we need to see from both fighters to see how good Khamzat actually is. Would you be surprised if Khamzat blew through Robert Whittaker? No, you wouldn’t. Would you be surprised if Whittaker blew through Khamzat? No, you wouldn’t. So this is just one of those fights where you really want to see how good Khamzat truly is.”

Nicksick further noted that Chimaev has yet to face the rigorous test of a five-round bout. He highlighted that “Borz” struggled to maintain his intense pressure in previous fights against Usman and Gilbert Burns, suggesting that his cardio issues could be detrimental in a prolonged contest.

“I think the pace; I think somebody that can drag it into deep waters that we saw with Usman, that we saw in a three-rounder with Gilbert Burns, right? In a five-rounder, it’s always going to be the question mark because of Khamzat’s style of always trying to finish fights and get guys out of there right away. Can that be his Kryptonite? Is a guy who’s durable, who can last, get through rounds one and two, and then where does Khamzat fare in the deeper rounds? That is the question mark. We haven’t seen the unknown—that’s all we’re asking, and how well he does in these situations.”

Read More: Whittaker Reveals He Insisted On Chimaev Rebooking: ‘I Love Disrupting Their Plans’

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Coach claims UFC champion Francis Ngannou return against Jon Jones in March is ’50-50?

Xtreme Couture head coach, Eric Nicksick has revealed it’s currently “50-50” that a fight between his trainee, Francis Ngannou, and former UFC champion, Jon Jones occurs in March, however, claims he’ll have the Cameroon native ready to fight if a date can be found that soon. Ngannou, the current undisputed UFC heavyweight champion, has been […]

Ngannou, the current undisputed UFC heavyweight champion, has been continually linked with a title clash against former two-time light heavyweight titleholder, Jones since unifying the titles successfully last year.

Headlining UFC 270 last January, Francis Ngannou managed to defeat then-interim gold holder, Ciryl Gane in a main event clash, utilizing wrestling and grappling to hand the Frenchman his first professional mixed martial arts defeat.

With his future in the promotion currently up in the air amid long-dragging contract disputes, Ngannou also underwent reconstructive knee surgery following his win over Gane, after suffering a knee injury just days from his UFC 270 headlining fight.

Eric Nicksick talks the UFC return of champion, Francis Ngannou

Expected to make his return to mixed martial arts in some facet this year, the Batie native has been linked with an appearance at UFC 285 on March 4. against the returning, Jones, however, the aforenoted, Nicksick claimed the matchup was still only “50-50” at this stage in the day.

“I think it’s 50-50, to be honest with you, when you’re talking business and timeline,” Eric Nicksick said of the fight during an interview with MMA Fighting. “I’m confident from what I saw from Francis (Ngannou) a couple of weeks ago that if we had to be ready for March, I think we can get him ready, but I think it is cutting it a little bit short because he had to go back home and renew his visa.”

“And then obviously they (the UFC) still haven’t announced anything yet with his (Francis Ngannou) contract and where they’re at, so 50-50 for me,” Nicksick said. “I’m hoping for this thing, fingers crossed that we can get this deal done. If it’s not March, maybe it’s April or May, or something like that. I do know that they’re shooting for March and that Jon Jones is the opponent. Everything else is out of my hands, but if they tell me, ‘Hey, we’re fighting March 4,’ we’ll have our guy ready, that’s for sure.”

While Jones has been linked with a fight against Francis Ngannou in his first UFC outing since 2020, the Rochester native has also been mentioned in potential fights against the likes of former division gold holders, Stipe Miocic, and the above-mentioned, Gane, as well as perennial contender, Curtis Blaydes.

Exclusive – Eric Nicksick previews Aljamain Sterling’s fight with ‘dynamic’ T.J. Dillashaw: ‘It’s a great matchup’

Xtreme Couture head coach, Eric Nicksick has shared his thoughts on this month’s undisputed UFC bantamweight title fight between his student, champion Aljamain Sterling, and former titleholder, challenger, T.J. Dillashaw – praising the dynamism of the latter and crediting him for revolutionizing standup fight at the bantamweight level. Nicksick, the head coach of several leading […]

Nicksick, the head coach of several leading UFC fighters including undisputed heavyweight champion, Francis Ngannou, and the aforenoted, Sterling – along with Ray Longo and Matt Serra, will prepare the latter for his trip to Abu Dhabi, UAE later this month to tackle Dillashaw at UFC 280.

Defending bantamweight champion, Sterling, most recently co-headlined UFC 273 earlier this year against former champion, Petr Yan in the pair’s rematch – edging out the Russian with a close, split decision win in Jacksonville, Florida.

As for Dillashaw, the former two-time division kingpin headlined in his promotional return in July of last year against common-foe, Cory Sandhagen, earning a title fight with a close split judging win of his own. The outing came as T.J. Dillashaw’s first since serving a two-year retroactive suspension issued by USADA after he tested positive for the banned substance, erythropoietin (EPO).

Commenting on the style of Dillashaw and the overall game of the Angels Camp veteran whilst breaking down Sterling’s incoming title defense, the above-mentioned, Nicksick highlighted the former’s dynamic style at bantamweight.

“It’s nice getting matched up against who I think is one of the best coaching minds in the game (Duane Ludwig),” Eric Nicksick told Mike Owens during an interview with LowKick MMA. “It’s also nice not having to stand across from him, you know what I mean.”

“All in all, I think T.J. (Dillashaw) brings a full MMA skillset from the feet to the floor, where he’s very dynamic in all areas,” Eric Nicksick explained. “I think it’s a great matchup to be quite honest with you.”

Eric Nicksick heaps praise on challenger, T.J. Dillashaw ahead of UFC 280

Credited with some of the best footwork and angle creation in the sport and the bantamweight division as a whole, T.J. Dillashaw has been praised for his part in revolutionizing that aspect of mixed martial arts by Nicksick.

“I think when you change stances a lot, your defense suffers,” Nicksick said of T.J. Dillashaw. “I think guys like to switch stances because of what offense it brings out for them, but you get into a focus of purely offense. For me as a coach, if you’re switching stances, your defense suffers – then you shouldn’t be switching stances, because you’re going to get your ass knocked out.”

“… To me, I think T.J. does really well in his stance switch because his defensive soundness remains the same out of both orthodox and southpaw,” Nicksick explained.