“Am I fighting a fu***ng amateur,” Sean Strickland slams Israel Adesanya’s lackluster title defense effort

UFC middleweight champion Sean Strickland was left surprised by opponent Israel Adesanya's amateurish performance at UFC 293.

“Am I fighting a fu***ng amateur,” Sean Strickland slams Israel Adesanya’s lackluster title defense effort

Sean Strickland and Israel Adesanya (Image courtesy: Twitter)

The new middleweight champion Sean Strickland took the world by storm after defeating former champion Israel Adesanya on September 10th. Strickland won the fight by unanimous decision after dominating the fight for the majority of the time. On the scorecards, Strickland won 4 rounds compared to Adesanya’s 1.

This fight turned out to be one of the biggest upsets in the history of the UFC. In the post-match interview, Strickland was asked about his opponent Israel Adesanya’s performance. The champion said, “Feel like the guy didn’t even f*cking try. There were moments where he was throwing punches around like, Am I fighting a f*cking amateur?’“

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Adesanya is known as one of the best strikers in the middleweight division. This was the first time that the former champion was outstruck for 4 of the 5 rounds. Before Alex Pereira’s loss, The Last Stylebender was dominating the middleweight roster. His fans expected him to get back in the zone after his rematch win against Pereira. Many didn’t even give Strickland a chance in this fight. But defying all odds, Strickland won the fight to become the new middleweight champion.

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MMA as a game can never be predicted. An underdog has the same chance as the favorite. A clean punch or a kick could also end up deciding the fight. UFC 293 was one of those occasions that took the fans by surprise. Additionally, Strickland’s win opened the eyes of a lot of MMA viewers who believed in stats and records. Whether it was Adesanya’s failure to show up or Strickland’s masterclass, the world will always remember UFC 293.

Related: “I am the greatest” – After Israel Adesanya failed to defend his title at UFC 293 ex-UFC legend asserts being the GOAT of the division

Robert Whittaker praises Sean Strickland for his UFC 293 performance

sean strickland. robert whittaker
Sean Strickland and Robert Whittaker (Image courtesy: Sports Illustrated)

UFC 293 left the MMA world in shock after Sean Strickland’s performance against Israel Adesanya. Many fellow fighters commented on this occasion, giving Strickland due credit. One of these fighters to express his thoughts on it was No. 2-ranked contender Robert Whittaker.

https://twitter.com/ULTfightFANS/status/1701453822755819604

There was a debate after the fight about the result of UFC 293. Many MMA experts were calling this Adesanya’s failure to show up rather than giving Sean Strickland credit for his performance. But Whittaker made sure to right that wrong. The Reaper applauded Strickland and stated that his presence was the reason for Adesanya’s loss. Further, Whittaker praised the 32-year-old for his defensive game and his discipline in the fight.

A future matchup between Strickland and Whittaker could be possible. The No. 2-ranked contender will be on the list of possible opponents for Strickland. After the Dricus Du Plessis fight, Whittaker’s rankings went down to second. But still, The Reaper remains one of the most dangerous strikers in the division.

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