“Showed him it’s okay to be loved,” Sean Strickland’s coach credits fighters girlfriend for change in mentality after tragic childhood

Head coach Erik Nicksick shared the story of how Sean Strickland’s girlfriend changed the life of the middleweight champion.

“Showed him it’s okay to be loved,” Sean Strickland’s coach credits fighters girlfriend for change in mentality after tragic childhood

Sean Strickland and his girlfriend (via Imago)

Sean Strickland upset Israel Adesanya at UFC 293 with a flawless performance. Strickland used pressure, jabs, and striking defense to overcome Adesanya at UFC 293. The victory will remain one of the most shocking events in history. Strickland’s head coach, Erik Nicksick, went on Ariel Helwani’s MMA Hour to discuss the title win. Nicksick credited the new girlfriend of Strickland as the MVP.

Erik Nicksick said, “She deserves a lot of this credit. She showed him its okay to love and be loved and changed that man’s life. That’s probably why we have a belt wrapped around our waist.” Nicksick said Strickland’s girlfriend molded him into a new man. The newer version of Strickland became easier to coach. It led him on the path to becoming the world’s middleweight champion.

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Nicksick also revealed that the couple started dating just a year before, and she did not like Sean Strickland at first. However, they have bonded well since then. Most fans did not know about Strickland being in a relationship until the UFC Embedded episode was released. The identity of Strickland’s girlfriend remains unknown at the moment. Strickland also values privacy in his personal life.

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Strickland will likely return to the octagon by early 2024. He could either rematch Adesanya or move on to new contenders in the division. The middleweight division has a stacked roster, and they all hope to claim the throne for themselves. It looks like Strickland will end the year as the UFC middleweight champion.

Related: Sean Strickland’s wife: Who is ‘Tarzan’ married to?

Fans react to the wholesome story between Sean Strickland and his girlfriend

Sean Strickland
Sean Strickland (via Imago)

Head coach Erik Nicksick talked to Ariel Helwani about the positive impact on the life of Sean Strickland. Nicksick credited Strickland’s girlfriend with helping him win the title. Fans went on X to react to the story. Check out some of the fan reactions:

https://twitter.com/kissimmeebill/status/1702034014041743679
https://twitter.com/baconxtomato/status/1702034774632841472

We have to believe that love would positively change anyone. Strickland’s story will give hope to many people. How can a controversial figure like Strickland find himself a lovely woman? This question puzzled some people. Nevertheless, celebrate a person’s success and be there for him during hard times. The fans wished Strickland and his girlfriend the very best for their future.

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