Tag: Sean Strickland

Ex-UFC star Khabib Nurmagomedov backed to ‘easily’ beat Sean Strickland in title fight: ‘It will be no Effort to him’

Khabib Nurmagomedov backed to easily beat Sean Strickland in UFC it would be no effortFormer undisputed lightweight champion and Hall of Fame inductee, Khabib Nurmagomedov has been backed to “easily” dispatch incumbent middleweight…

Khabib Nurmagomedov backed to easily beat Sean Strickland in UFC it would be no effort

Former undisputed lightweight champion and Hall of Fame inductee, Khabib Nurmagomedov has been backed to “easily” dispatch incumbent middleweight kingpin, Sean Strickland if he ever makes a return to the UFC – that’s according to close friend and training partner, Islam Makhachev.

Nurmagomedov, a former undisputed lightweight champion under the banner of the UFC, called time on his 29-0 undefeated professional career back in 2020, landing a second round triangle choke submission win over then-interim lightweight titleholder, Justin Gaethje.

In the time since, the Dagestani wrestling ace has turned his hand to coaching alongside head coach, Javier Mendez at American Kickboxing Academy in San Jose, California, guiding the aforenoted, Makhachev to a vacant title win over former champion, Charles Oliveira at UFC 280 back in October of last year.

Khabib Nurmagomedov backed to even defeat Sean Strickland in a middleweight move

Noting his awareness of fan interest in a return to the Octagon for him for one final fight in search of a perfect 30-fight professional career, Nurmagomedov has been backed to even prove too much for middleweight champion, Strickland if he makes a comeback, by UFC 294 headliner, Makhachev.

“Today, I was asked: Can Khabib (Nurmagomedov) come back and beat Sean Strickland in a championship fight?” Islam Makhachev said on his official Instagram account. “I can confidently answer that he can easily do it. It’s been three years since Khabib Nurmagomedov retired but he never misses a training session and I can say without a doubt, if he wants to, it’ll be no effort to him.”

Winning the middleweight crown back in September, Covina native, Strickland turned in a spectacular upset win over former two-time divisional champion, Israel Adesanya, stopping the City Kickboxing striker with a one-sided unanimous decision win in Sydney, Australia. 

What are your thoughts on a fight between Sean Strickland and Khabib Nurmagomedov?

Conor McGregor backs Israel Adesanya in Sean Strickland rematch: ‘Do him in with a hand behind your back’

Conor McGregorConor McGregor offered some words of encouragement to former middleweight world champion Israel Adesanya. After dropping the 185-pound title for the second time in less than a year at UFC 293 last month, ‘The Last Stylebender’ revealed during a recent interview with The Rock (not that one) that it would be a long time before […]

Conor McGregor

Conor McGregor offered some words of encouragement to former middleweight world champion Israel Adesanya.

After dropping the 185-pound title for the second time in less than a year at UFC 293 last month, ‘The Last Stylebender’ revealed during a recent interview with The Rock (not that one) that it would be a long time before you see him back inside the Octagon.

“I’m going to take time to look after myself. I’m not gonna fight for a long time,” Adesanya said. I’m definitely not going to retire because I know me. If I did, I’m fine. I don’t need to prove anything else, but I know what I can do and I know what I can change in my lifestyle to make my body adapt to where I need to be. I’m going to heal myself up. You won’t see me fight for a long time.”

The news of Adesanya’s lengthy layoff earned the attention of the MMA community, including Irish megastar Conor McGregor who shared a word of advice on how to train for a striker like Sean Strickland in what looks to be an inevitable rematch.

And, of course, take a dig at featherweight champ Alexander Volkanovski.

“Big glove boxing sparring rounds in an enclosed ring and you are doing Sean in with a hand behind your back, lad,” McGregor wrote on X. Rest up. And then come back and get that belt back. And volk couldn’t hold my spit bucket.”

Conor McGregor Likely to Return Before Israel Adesanya Does

As crazy as it sounds, we will likely see Conor McGregor compete again before Adesanya, unless ‘The Last Stylebender’ decides to shorten up his sabbatical.

With the announcement that he is once again back in the USADA testing pool, fight fans are already counting down the days until we see the former two-division titleholder make his first walk to the Octagon in more than two years. Initially, McGregor’s timeline for return was looking like April given USADA’s six-month pre-fight screening requirement, but with the news that USADA will no longer be working with the UFC come January 1, 2024, it’s possible we could see the Irishman well before then.

Once the new year rolls around the UFC will begin its relationship with Drug Free Sport International, the organization that currently handles anti-doping duties for the NFL, NBA, MLB, and NCAA.

Dana White confirms Kamaru Usman – Khamzat Chimaev fight winner at UFC 294 will face Sean Strickland for belt

Kamaru Usman vs. Khamzat Chimaev winner set to fight Sean Strickland for title after UFC 294UFC CEO, Dana White has confirmed the victor of next weekend’s middleweight co-headliner between former welterweight champion, Kamaru Usman, and the undefeated, Khamzat Chimaev, will go on to fight incumbent middleweight titleholder, Sean Strickland for the division’s undisputed crown. Earlier tonight, promotional boss, White confirmed that a scheduled middleweight fight between Chimaev and one-time title […]

Kamaru Usman vs. Khamzat Chimaev winner set to fight Sean Strickland for title after UFC 294

UFC CEO, Dana White has confirmed the victor of next weekend’s middleweight co-headliner between former welterweight champion, Kamaru Usman, and the undefeated, Khamzat Chimaev, will go on to fight incumbent middleweight titleholder, Sean Strickland for the division’s undisputed crown.

Earlier tonight, promotional boss, White confirmed that a scheduled middleweight fight between Chimaev and one-time title challenger, Paulo Costa had fallen to the wayside, after the Brazilian required a third surgical procedure to address a bursitis infection in his elbow.

And as a result, the organization have since booked a middleweight bout – subsequently an official title eliminator between Chimaev and former pound-for-pound number one and prior welterweight kingpin, Usman for UFC 294 in Abu Dhabi, UAE next weekend. 

Kamaru Usman and Khamzat Chimaev will fight in a title eliminator at UFC 294

Speaking with Yahoo! Sports reporter, Kevin Iole, the above-mentioned UFC leader, White confirmed how the victor between Usman and Chimaev will fight incumbent middleweight champion, Strickland for the division’s belt. 

“Who knows how they’ll (Kamaru Usman or Khamzat Chimaev) approach it, but you have to think that with the (Paulo) Costa fight, Khamzat probably had to be thinking about going out and taking him down,” Dana White explained. “But with Usman and his wrestling, it could actually turn into more of a stand-up war.”

“This is what fighting should be,” White said. “I don’t know if you saw what Khabib (Nurmagomedov) said. He said, ‘Brother, we are UFC champions, you fight King Kong if he makes weight.’ That’s what makes fighting so fun. They’re all taking these fights just over a week out and they’re all accepting risk. They believe in themselves. And to my way of thinking, this is what makes sport so great, when you have world champions or guys who are top five in the world and that’s their mindset. When that’s the case, there’s no better sport in the world. That’s what makes the UFC so great, the mentality of these fighters.”

For Strickland, the recently minted undisputed middleweight champion headlined UFC 293 back in September against two-time champion, Israel Adesanya, winning the divisional crown with a stunning upset decision win.

Sharing the Octagon with Auchi native, Usman back in 2017 during his welterweight stint, Strickland dropped a one-sided unanimous decision loss at UFC 210 in a preliminary card clash. 

Who faces Sean Strickland after UFC 294: Kamaru Usman or Khamzat Chimaev?

Sean Strickland no longer finds joy in making fun of Israel Adesanya: ‘The guy needs some help’

Sean StricklandUFC middleweight champion Sean Strickland no longer takes joy in making fun of Israel Adesanya. During their appearances at the UFC 293 press event ahead of their world title clash in The Land Down Under, Sean Strickland repeatedly referenced a viral video of ‘The Last Stylebender’ inappropriately touching his dog on social media and accused […]

Sean Strickland

UFC middleweight champion Sean Strickland no longer takes joy in making fun of Israel Adesanya.

During their appearances at the UFC 293 press event ahead of their world title clash in The Land Down Under, Sean Strickland repeatedly referenced a viral video of ‘The Last Stylebender’ inappropriately touching his dog on social media and accused the two-time titleholder of producing “puppy porn” in his spare time.

The comments left Adesanya fuming and he made it a point to address the situation with Strickland after the clock had ran out on their world title tilt.

“He looks at me and he’s like, ‘I would never make fun of your family’ and I’m like, ‘Dude, I don’t know your family. I don’t know if you have siblings. I don’t know f*ck about you.’ This is after the fight,” Strickland said in a video on his YouTube channel. “He starts pointing at his neck and he’s like, ‘My dog, man. My f*cking dog.’”

A month removed from his world-title-winning performance, Sean Strickland is still admittedly confused by the interaction and no longer feels comfortable making fun of Adesanya, suggesting that the ‘Stylebender’ may be suffering from some kind of mental illness.

“Bottom line, I think the guy needs some help, man,” Strickland continued. “You know when I was making fun of Khalil Rountree and then I had my epiphany like, he’s not just a beta male feminist. I realized that he might be a little mentally retarded. So that’s why I don’t make fun of him because it’s not funny anymore because now he has a f*cking problem. Now it’s like I’m making fun of a retard.

“But with Izzy, it’s starting to not be funny anymore because as I’m starting to understand Izzy and I’m starting to understand his love for his dog, peanut butter, and all, I’m starting to realize that he could have a form of mental retardation. There’s something f*cking wrong with this guy. So now, I kind of feel bad like I’m picking on the retarded kid at school that eats his boogers. It’s not funny anymore. It’s still a little funny, but…”

‘King’ Bobby Green claims he used to dog walk UFC champ Sean Strickland in sparring sessions

Bobby GreenLightweight standout ‘King’ Bobby Green says he used to put it on current middleweight champ Sean Strickland during their sparring sessions back in the day. On Saturday night, Green makes his return to the Octagon for a main event clash with No. 10 ranked contender Grant Dawson. Ahead of their highly anticipated scrap inside The […]

Bobby Green

Lightweight standout ‘King’ Bobby Green says he used to put it on current middleweight champ Sean Strickland during their sparring sessions back in the day.

On Saturday night, Green makes his return to the Octagon for a main event clash with No. 10 ranked contender Grant Dawson. Ahead of their highly anticipated scrap inside The APEX in Las Vegas, Green made an appearance on the JAXXON podcast where he claims to have dog-walked 185-pound champ Sean Strickland on more than one occasion whilst sparring.

“Shout out to Strickland. A little backstory, my dad, I got a little white dad, he’s a black belt. He got his black belt from Sean’s coach,” Green said. “So, out of respect, because Sean was trying to have his MMA career go, we must have been 21, 22, he would call me to go over and spar with Sean. Sean was fighting at 185, I’m a 155’er. But, I would beat the dog sh*t out of him. Ask him to this day, he’ll say Bobby Green is a problem.”

Bobby Green Looks to Break into the Lightweight Top 10 at UFC Vegas 80

After going 2-3 in his previous five, Bobby Green scored an impressive buzzer-beating submission against former interim lightweight world champion Tony Ferguson in his last outing. Should ‘King’ deliver an impressive showing and earn his second-straight victory at UFC Vegas 80, he could find himself thrust into the lightweight division’s top 10.

Meanwhile, middleweight champ Sean Strickland is back in the gym preparing for his first title defense after delivering a picture-perfect performance against former two-time titleholder Israel Adesanya at UFC 293 last month. No official announcements have been made, but welterweight contender Belal Muhammad previously claimed that he was offered a championship clash with Strickland.

‘Tarzan’ could also find himself once again matched up with Israel Adesanya, or the man many believe is next in line, Dricus Du Plessis.

Who would you like to see Strickland square off against in his first UFC title defense?

Israel Adesanya tipped to recover from latest UFC title loss in Sean Strickland rematch: ‘He’s seen everything’

Israel Adesanya has seen everything can win in Sean Strickland rematch UFC Eugene BaremanFormer two-time undisputed middleweight champion, Israel Adesanya has been backed to likely prevail in the future – particularly in a mooted title rematch with Sean Strickland immediately, with head coach Eugene Bareman claiming his student has “seen everything” in terms of different styles and gameplan. Adesanya, a former two-time undisputed middleweight titleholder, headlined UFC 293 […]

Israel Adesanya has seen everything can win in Sean Strickland rematch UFC Eugene Bareman

Former two-time undisputed middleweight champion, Israel Adesanya has been backed to likely prevail in the future – particularly in a mooted title rematch with Sean Strickland immediately, with head coach Eugene Bareman claiming his student has “seen everything” in terms of different styles and gameplan.

Adesanya, a former two-time undisputed middleweight titleholder, headlined UFC 293 earlier this month in Sydney, Australia – suffering a massive upset championship loss to the above-mentioned, Strickland, over the course of their five round main event championship bout. 

Dropping his undisputed middleweight crown in stunning fashion, Israel Adesanya became the first titleholder in UFC history to lose his championship twice in the space of a year – having dropped the middleweight title to arch-rival, Alex Pereira back in November at Madison Square Garden.

And also suffering his first official knockdown in the opening round of his pairing with the above-mentioned, Strickland in Australia, Adesanya’s coach, Bareman claimed his student likely suffered his loss as a direct result of a “concussion” in the first frame.

“I thought he (Israel Adesanya) did really well with the knockdown and coming back from it but I have no doubt that anybody who’s actually had a fight and knows when you suffer a concussion and get knocked down like that, things happen,” Bareman told Combat TV.”

“Over the whole duration of the fight, you just don’t know what the knockdown does,” Bareman continued. “Has it slowed your reactions down, has it slowed your mental processing down? The knockdown – or the concussion, they can do a myriad of things so I have no doubt that that would have some effect and which is what it’s meant to do.”

Eugene Bareman confident of future UFC success for Israel Adesanya

Widely expected to make a return to the Octagon in an immediate title rematch with Strickland, Adesanya has been touted as ready for any tactical change or gameplan alteration by his head coach.

“No one else has these sorts of athletes because no one else has done the extensive work that we’ve done outside of MMA to gain this type of high-level experience,” Bareman explained. “This is an athlete who’s seen everything, who’s had every type of game plan imposed on him, and every sort of adjustment, every sort of look he’s had in front of him.”

“Sean (Strickland) brought something unique, and it was his awkwardness, and we thought we’d dealt with it,” Bareman continued. “We have to do a better job at dealing with the style that he defends in and some of the intricacies he brings to the table. But, Israel’s seen everything. Not every athlete that gets to the UFC does – barely any of them do. None of them have 100 fights at the highest level.” 

Can Israel Adesanya reclaim the middleweight title again?