Imagine it or not, Sean Strickland really had one thing good to say about fellow former UFC middleweight champion Israel Adesanya – and his phrases appeared real.
Strickland, who challenges Dricus Du Plessis for the 185-pound title in a rematch Saturday at UFC 312 (ESPN+ pay-per-view) in Sydney, appeared Tuesday on Fox Sports activities Australia, the place he was requested for his ideas on Adesanya dropping his third consecutive battle following a knockout loss to Nassourdine Imavov this previous weekend at UFC Struggle Evening 250.
Slightly than kick Adesanya whereas he’s down, which is the kind of conduct followers have come to count on from Strickland, he was stylish and respectful.
“On the finish of the day, Izzy’s made his legacy,” Strickland mentioned. “He made his legacy. If you wish to proceed to battle, proceed to battle. However you’ve completed what you needed to do. You don’t actually must show something. You’re a long-lasting title within the sport. You’ve chiseled your title in it, no disgrace. Getting older, it occurs, you realize?”
Strickland’s phrases of encouragement come as a shock contemplating how private and heated his feud with Adesanya was resulting in their UFC 293 title battle in September 2023. On that night time, Strickland claimed the middleweight championship with a lopsided unanimous resolution win over Adesanya.
For Adesanya, that was the beginning of his present three-fight skid, which features a loss to Du Plessis and this previous Saturday to Imavov.