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Tag: Sean Strickland

  • Strickland: Steroid-User Adesanya Will Starch Whittaker At UFC 271

    UFC middleweight contender Sean Strickland has given his prediction for the upcoming UFC 271 main event between Israel Adesanya and Robert Whittaker.

    In 2019, Adesanya reached the 185-pound mountaintop by knocking out Whittaker at UFC 243 in Melbourne, Australia. Since then, “The Last Stylebender” has remained undefeated in the division and beaten away the challenges of Yoel Romero, Paulo Costa, and Marvin Vettori.

    Adesanya’s ongoing dominance has taken him full circle to “The Reaper.” Since losing his title, Whittaker has been in the form of life. Across 18 rounds of action, he put his fluent striking on full display in headlining wins Against Darren Till and Kelvin Gastelum, and a pay-per-view co-main event victory over Jared Cannonier.

    The stage is now set for a blockbuster rematch, which will go down inside Houston’s Toyota Center on February 12.

    Strickland: We All Know Adesanya Does Steroids

    Despite the convincing ending to their first fight, many are expecting a rejuvenated Whittaker to provide a much stiffer test for Adesanya this time around. One man who disagrees with that sentiment is top-10 middleweight Strickland, who expects the champion to “starch” the New Zealand-born Australian.

    But while the charismatic and controversial contender’s prediction is partly due to Adesanya’s undeniable talent inside the Octagon, “Tarzan” also believes the Nigerian-New Zealander gets a helping hand from steroids, an accusation he’s made in the past.

    “I mean, Israel’s just a crafty motherfucker,” Strickland told combat sports journalist Helen Yee. “Like, don’t get me wrong, we all know he does steroids, and that probably helps his performance. We all seen him fight with the titty that hung down. I mean, have you ever seen a man fight in the UFC with gyno from weed? I mean, look at Nate Diaz; if that was the case, Nate Diaz would have tits down too is knees. Get out of here with this.

    “So, anyways, back to him and Whittaker. Izzy is a great striker; he comes from a steroid background of kickboxing,” added Strickland. “I think he’s gonna starch Whittaker, cause he is a great fighter.”

    Discussion surrounding potential steroid usage is nothing new for Adesanya. At UFC 253, the event at which he dismantled then-unbeaten Brazilian Costa, “The Last Stylebender” sported a visibly swollen pectoral muscle.

    The medical term for swelling in male breast tissue is Gynecomastia. The condition can be can be caused by a wide variety of factors, including drugs and alcohol, some medications, and even herbal products. One of the more well-known triggers is the use of anabolic steroids, an accusation many directed at Adesanya following the September 2020 pay-per-view.

    Months after the event, Adesanya revealed he’d undergone medical tests to determine the cause. With no visible answer, the reigning middleweight king said UFC doctors told him unhealthy living and, in particular, smoking marijuana were likely the reasons for the swelling.

    That answer is clearly not a convincing one for Sean Strickland…

    Morning Report: Israel Adesanya gives update on his swollen pectoral muscle, theorizes marijuana was the cause - MMA Fighting
    Photo by Josh Hedges/Zuffa LLC

    Despite having the first defeat of his professional MMA career added to his record last March thanks to a failed venture to light heavyweight, Adesanya has continued to look unthreatened at 185 pounds.

    But with a revitalized and focused Whittaker steaming towards him, “The Last Stylebender” could be set for his biggest challenge to date next weekend.

    Who do you think will have their hand raised at UFC 271, Israel Adesanya or Robert Whittaker?

  • Hermansson’s Strickland Game Plan: Hit Him & Make It A Quick Night

    UFC middleweight contender Jack Hermansson is hoping to avoid a long night at UFC Vegas 47 by finishing Sean Strickland inside the opening two rounds.

    For the third time in as many bouts, Hermansson will be fighting down the rankings on February 5. After a memorable first-round submission win against Kelvin Gastelum shot him into title contention in 2020, a main event loss to then-rising contender Marvin Vettori stalled his championship aspirations.

    Having rebounded by adding another defeat to the record of Edmen Shahbazyan last year, “The Joker” is hoping to halt the charge of Strickland in what will be the 33-year-old’s fourth headlining bout in MMA’s premier promotion.

    Ahead of his return to the Octagon, Hermansson spoke to MMA News about the threat “Tarzan” poses, his experience wrestling Khamzat Chimaev in 2021, Francis Ngannou’s ongoing contractual dispute with the UFC, and his thoughts on the upcoming 185-pound title fight between Israel Adesanya and Robert Whittaker.

    Hermansson Looks To Avoid “Grueling” Fight

    In Hermansson’s way of staking a claim for a championship opportunity is Strickland, a unique, and perhaps downright bizarre, individual. But whether fans love his carefree attitude or look down at his outspoken personality, no one can deny his fighting ability.

    Since returning from the Octagon in 2020 after two years on the sidelines, “Tarzan” has been at his best. After getting back on track with wins against Nordine Taleb and Jack Marshman, the 30-year-old recorded victories over highly-touted prospect Brendan Allen and middleweight mainstay Krzysztof Jotko.

    With a fifth straight win last July, a dominant main event triumph over divisional veteran Uriah Hall, Strickland has established himself as a genuine contender at 185 pounds.

    With his opponent’s form and durability in mind, Hermansson is hoping to end things quick come fight night. The Swedish-born Norwegian told MMA News he’s targeting a first or second-round finish when he goes toe-to-toe with Strickland inside Las Vegas’ Apex facility.

    To do so, the game plan is simple: hit him.

    “You know, I don’t want a hard, tough, long, grueling fight with Sean, even though I know that’s a possibility,” Hermansson told James Lynch. “I want a quick, nice finish and that’s how I envision the fight (going). So, I’m gonna go in there, I’m gonna be precise, and I’m gonna hit him and make it a quick night. First or second-round finish.”

    https://www.instagram.com/p/CZH1SWBvdk2/

    If Hermansson is to ascend closer to a date with the champion, he’ll have to join an exclusive club that currently boasts only reigning welterweight king Kamaru Usman, 28-5 UFC vet Santiago Ponzinibbio, and knockout machine Elizeu Zaleski dos Santos.

    That club? The group of fighters who have managed to have their hand raised against “Tarzan.”

    Given only three have managed it in Strickland’s 27 professional fights, Hermansson will certainly have to be at his best to get the job done on Saturday night.

    Who do you think will have their hand raised in the UFC Vegas 47 main event, Jack Hermansson or Sean Strickland?

  • Sean O’Malley Uninterested In Sparring With Sean Strickland

    Sean “Sugar” O’Malley believes a training session with Sean “Tarzan” Strickland is bad for his health.

    If you keep up with the fighters on social media, you know that O’Malley and Strickland have some conflict with each other.

    Sean Strickland, noted for his outlandish comments, has not shied away from stating his honest opinions about Sean O’Malley. Last year, the controversial fighter ridiculed O’Malley for his tattoo choices and association with rapper Tekashi 69 via Twitter.

    “@SugaSeanMMA woke up one day and said “you know that guy who snitched on all his friends, did something shady with minor, yeah that guy I want him to tattoo his name on me” lol!! You know @SugaSeanMMA walks around holding his pocket lol!!!,” Strickland tweeted in December.

    However, it is highly unlikely the two will ever meet in the cage. Sean O’Malley, 14-1-0, fights at bantamweight, and Sean Strickland, 24-3-1, fights in the middleweight division. But a spar between the two could simmer Strickland down.

    Let O’Malley tell it, he cannot fathom the intensity of fighters like Strickland. Sparring viciously outside of the Octagon seems like a waste of his time and threatens the longevity of his career. (h/t Pundit Arena).

    “I remember him, he was on fucking streak, no one was beating him. He’s been good for a long ass time. It would be a pain in the ass to have him as a sparring partner though. You know you’re just fighting every time.

    “I feel like I’ve gotten to a spot where I’m not going to fight dude, I’m not getting into a fistfight with this guy if I’m not getting paid. I’m not doing it. It’s not good for my brain, it’s not good for my body, I only have a certain amount of scraps, and I think everyone does, and I’m not going to waste them in the gym,” Sean O’Malley explained on his podcast.

    And who can blame him? Undoubtedly, Strickland has turned a lot of heads with most of his statements and violent sparring sessions. He mentioned he would love to murder someone in the Octagon and soon followed up with his dream to kill outside of the Octagon, as well.

    Even Tim Welch, Sean O’Malley’s head coach, commented on Strickland’s chaotic antics:

    “There’s something wrong in that dude’s head isn’t there. He’s a fucking freak. You read his Twitter dude, he is not healthy.”

    As of right now, “Sugar” O’Malley plans to focus on his career path and well-being and is not concerned about a sparring match with “Tarzan.”

    Would you like to see a sparring session between Sean O’Malley and Sean Strickland?

  • Jared Cannonier: The World Needs More Sean Stricklands

    Jared Cannonier believes the world needs more of Sean Strickland and his approach to life.

    Strickland has been vocal in interviews and on social media as he speaks his mind and doesn’t hold back. To many, they don’t want to ruffle any feathers, but Strickland doesn’t care. For Cannonier, he says that is a welcomed sight and something he wishes more fighters would do.

    “That’s absolutely why. I don’t like having to figure you out. Be who you are. If you’re not being honest with me, you’re definitely not being honest with yourself. You’re just putting on another face. You’re hiding your true self, and I don’t trust that,” said Cannonier to LowKick MMA. “I don’t trust somebody who’s hiding their true selves. If you’ve done something bad, that’s shadow work that needs to be done within that individual, so that they can come out and be their authentic self, so they can love themselves in front of the world, you know what I’m saying? Without having to hide ‘hide this part of me, hide that part of me.’

    Jared Cannonier
    Jared Cannonier (Photo by Chris Unger/Zuffa LLC)

    “I do appreciate that (in Sean Strickland). The world needs more of that,” added Cannonier. “We’ve been living in this Dionysus-themed thing, with the social media and the media in general. People just put on faces, they put on masks whenever they go in front of a camera or in front of other people. I find it hard to trust that. One thing I will trust is somebody who’s gonna be themselves in front of me, whether you’re gonna be my friend or my enemy, I wanna know who you are and what’s your intent here?”

    Although Cannonier believes the world needs more Stricklands, he has gotten in trouble for some of the things he has said online. He does cross the line on multiple occasions, but as Cannonier says, that is truly Strickland, and he isn’t hiding anything.

    Jared Cannonier is set to return in the co-main event of UFC 271 on February 12 as he takes on Derek Brunson in a number one contender bout. Sean Strickland, meanwhile, headlines the February 5 Fight Night card opposite Jack Hermansson.

    Do you agree with Jared Cannonier that the world needs more Sean Stricklands?

  • Watch: Sean Strickland KOs Sparring Partner With Vicious Head Kick

    Sean Strickland’s actions are every bit as untamed as his words based on newly leaked footage from a sparring session turned black.

    The lights that were shut off were from the poor fellow who found himself on the wrong end of a barrage from the #7-ranked middleweight. In an eight-second clip that was leaked on social media Wednesday, Strickland can be seen going full-go in a sparring session against an overwhelmed partner who would soon be rendered unconscious after a perfectly placed head kick. Peep it out down below.

    This is not the first time Strickland has been seen in viral training footage. Last year, a video was leaked that captured the middleweight losing his cool with grappling partner Orlando Sanchez.

    Indeed, there never seems to be a dull, pedestrian moment whenever Sean Strickland is on the scene. And as far as his unordinary sparring sessions are concerned, even when there isn’t leaked footage, there are still stories to tell.

    Just yesterday, we ran a story where Strickland gave a brief summary of what it feels like to be sparring the undisputed UFC heavyweight champion himself, Francis Ngannou.

    “You know, I would like to think that I fucked Francis up, but I really think that he’s very nice… He’s a good dude, man. I was actually sparring him the other day and I told Francis, ‘You’ve never experienced this in your life, but when I spar you and you’re throwing punches at me, like, I genuinely have fear. You’ve probably never felt that in your life.’ But Francis is a great guy. He throws hard, I trust him not to hurt me. Anytime he fucking wants to bang, dude, I welcome it.”

    When he’s not allowing Ngannou to “bang” with him, he instead occupies his time by banging sparring partners’ domes with flush head kicks into la-la land. Hopefully, the gentleman on the wrong end of Strickland’s onslaught will not suffer any long-term, lingering effects from his knockout experience.

    Strickland’s intense preparation is being put to use leading up to his February bout against #5-ranked Jack Hermansson. With a victory, that would make six straight for Strickland, not counting the KO dub he just earned on his poor sparring partner in the above video.

    Would you be open to a sparring session against UFC wildman Sean Strickland?

  • Strickland Explains The “Fear” He Has Sparring Ngannou

    UFC middleweight contender Sean Strickland has described what it’s like to spar with UFC Heavyweight Champion Francis Ngannou in the gym.

    Strickland, one of the most outspoken, unique, and controversial personalities in MMA, has never shied away from detailing his interactions in the gym, which includes a near-bust-up with BJJ champion Orlando Sanchez.

    As he gears up for his second consecutive UFC main event, a clash of 185-pound contenders against Jack Hermansson on February 5, “Tarzan” has been preparing at the renowned Xtreme Couture gym under the tutelage of Eric Nicksick. Among his training partners is a certain “Predator.”

    While some would shy away from sparring with a man who has bombs as fists and boasts the hardest recorded punch in history, Strickland is not “some,” as Nicksick recently revealed to MMA Fighting’s Damon Martin.

    “That dude will literally spar anybody in our gym,” Nicksick said. “He calls Francis out every sparring session. He loves to spar Francis because he goes ‘I want to feel as close to death as possible and I want to have that fear of God in my heart every time I spar a guy like Francis Ngannou.’ So sure, we throw him in there and let him get some rounds with Francis.”

    https://www.instagram.com/p/CTplLcivc3-/

    Strickland discussed his experience sparring the Cameroonian behemoth while speaking to combat sports journalist Helen Yee. The #7-ranked middleweight contender suggested Ngannou cannot relate to the level of fear he feels while standing opposite the heavyweight titleholder in the gym.

    “You know, I would like to think that I fucked Francis up, but I really think that he’s very nice… He’s a good dude, man. I was actually sparring him the other day and I told Francis, ‘You’ve never experienced this in your life, but when I spar you and you’re throwing punches at me, like, I genuinely have fear. You’ve probably never felt that in your life.’ But Francis is a great guy. He throws hard, I trust him not to hurt me. Anytime he fucking wants to bang, dude, I welcome it.”

    Not much can prepare a fighter for an opponent’s power better than training with the biggest power-puncher in the world. And from trading blows with “The Predator” donning the 16oz gloves, Strickland certainly has respect for the power Ngannou possesses.

    In a tweet on Wednesday, “Tarzan” admitted a shot from the heavyweight behemoth with 4oz gloves would send him to sleep.

    “Everyone ask me how do I do with francious lol!! I will tell you that I do really well with him with 16 Gloves in the GYM lol!!! bottom line is you put 4 ounce gloves on him in a FIGHT and he touches me once and I will go to dreamland!!!! LOL.”

    Ngannou Is Gearing Up For A Crucial Unification Showdown At UFC 270

    While Strickland is preparing for a main event contest with Hermansson, Ngannou’s work in the gym is going towards his upcoming unification showdown with interim champ Ciryl Gane.

    Since ascending the heavyweight mountain last March with a knockout victory over Stipe Miocic, Ngannou has been on the sidelines, watching on as his former teammate emerged triumphant in two main events and had interim gold wrapped around his waist.

    At UFC 270 on January 22, the pair will collide to determine who will lead the division as its undisputed king. With the title and potentially Ngannou’s future at stake, the year’s opening pay-per-view headliner is certainly not one to miss.

    Who do you think will leave UFC 270 as the undisputed UFC Heavyweight Champion, Francis Ngannou or Ciryl Gane?

  • Sean Strickland Explains Why He Hates The “Retarded” Sport of Boxing

    Sean Strickland is known for his striking and boxing inside the UFC Octagon, but he isn’t a fan of boxing as a sport.

    Strickland is known for speaking his mind on whatever topic comes up, and on Twitter on Wednesday, he spoke about why he doesn’t like boxing. He says he can go months in MMA in training and take zero brain damage, but as he is about to spar boxing for 25 minutes, he will receive a ton of brain damage.

    “Let me tell you why I absolutely hate boxing. I can go months with mma and take ZERO brain damage. I’m about to box for 25 minutes and even if I dominate I’m going to receive some brain damage. Absolutely retarded sport…,” Strickland wrote on Twitter.

    Although Strickland believes he takes more brain damage in boxing, he does take some in MMA as well. No matter what sport, you are getting punched in the head in both, but perhaps Strickland believes he is hit more in the head in boxing, as in MMA, you can grapple and throw kicks to the leg and body. The good news for Strickland is he is in MMA and doesn’t have to do boxing if he doesn’t want to and can just focus on MMA striking.

    Sean Strickland (24-3) is currently ranked #7 at middleweight and is set to headline a Fight Night card on February 5 against Jack Hermansson. He’s coming off a lopsided decision win over Uriah Hall, and should he beat ‘The Joker,’ he could very well be closing in on a title shot.

    Since coming back from a motorcycle accident, Strickland is 4-0, which also included a move to middleweight. Since coming back, he beat Jack Marshman by decision, TKO’d Brendan Allen, and holds decision victories over Krzysztof Jotko and Uriah Hall in his first UFC main event.

    What do you make of Sean Strickland’s take on boxing?

  • Sean Strickland: If I Had A Gay Son, Then I Have Failed As A Man

    Sean Strickland has turned in his unfiltered remark for the day, this time the controversial middleweight addressed the topic of homosexuality.

    Strickland has made headlines on several occasions throughout the course of 2021. In June, a heated altercation with a training partner was captured on video. His words then began to attract attention as well when, in the same week as the aforementioned incident, he threatened to smack his trolls in front of their children.

    Two months later, he became an advocate for pornography and masturbation as a tool to strengthen one’s jab.

    However, it wasn’t until he expressed a desire to be the first fighter to kill a man inside the Octagon that he became a controversial figure and his comments began to carry some degree of seriousness.

    Since then, he’s spoken out against trans-fighter Alana McLaughlin, recorded a quasi-road-rage incident, and even opened up about his Neo-Nazi childhood background. Whatever you make of Strickland, he has no doubt become arguably the most untempered fighter on the UFC roster.

    That being said, the following tweet from Strickland may or may not come as a surprise when responding to a fan’s colorful question about whether the welterweight would rather have a homosexual son or a promiscuous daughter.

    “If I had a gay son I would think I failed as a man to create such weakness….. If I had a whore for a daughter I’d think she just wanted to be like her dad lol!”

    He also offered these follow-up remarks moments later.

    “LISTEN gay men are great, i support them and their choices. freedom! Gay guys have it made. Most gay guys I know are always happy. They all just get to hang with buddies all day and have sex.. us straight men, we’re fucked… we gotta do some serious work to get laid. Not fair”

    It is unclear if Strickland was merely offering some of his eccentric humor or if he was being earnest with these remarks. There are two things that are for certain, however. Many people will consider his words, especially the initial tweet, to be homophobic in any context. Meanwhile, many others will consider that interpretation to be an example of “cancel culture.”

    In any event, when he’s not chopping it up with Twitter followers in questionable Q&A sessions, Strickland is always in the gym, readying for his next battle. His first bout in 2022 is slated to be against Jack Hermansson on February 5.

    What are your thoughts on Sean Strickland’s remarks?

  • Sean Strickland Targets Dillashaw In Call For USADA Lifetime Bans

    Sean Strickland is taking aim at all fighters who have failed USADA testing, especially TJ Dillashaw.

    Sean Stickland is a fighter who is constantly in the news for things he says. Whether he is calling out fighters or starting drama, he is not one to hold back. His latest target is on all fighters who have failed drug testing. Strickland went on a Twitter rampage on Thursday to call out for stricter punishments for U.S Anti-Doping Agency (USADA) violations.

    “Only thing @usantidoping is good at is catching broke fighters who can’t afford good shit lol! Steroids should be a lifetime ban,” Strickland wrote. “@TJDillashaw
    is the absolute scum of the earth and should never be allowed to compete I’m the UFC again. You ruined people’s careers you’re scum.”

    Strickland is mentioning TJ Dillashaw by name in his Tweet. Dillashaw has just returned from a two-year suspension after failing a USADA drug test back in 2019. Since the USADA program was instated by the UFC back in 2015, 127 fighters have been handed suspension due to violations, according to the USADA website. Of those 127 fighters, the length of suspensions can range from four months to two years. Some fighters have been simply given a warning.

    Nick Diaz was famously suspended for five years following his drug test failures but that was by the Nevada State Athletic Commission, not USADA. Strickland does not see these timeframes as sufficient enough punishments. He would like to see any fighter testing positive be banned for life. He even went in on Jon Jones as well. When asked about Jones specifically, Strickland responded.

    “Greatest fighter to ever step in the ufc completely erased by doping,” he wrote.

    Jones was suspended by USADA for the use of Clomiphen and Letrozole back 2016. His suspension lasted one year. He was then suspended for 15 months in 2018 for Chlorine-substituted Anabolic Steroid.

    Many fighters will just simply return to fighting following suspension. If it were up to Strickland, that would not be the case. Strickland has also recently targeted middleweight champion Israel Adesanya for what Strickland believes is physical evidence of drug use.

    Do you think UFC fighters should receive harsher punishments for USADA violations?

  • Sean Strickland: I Want To Take Jack Hermansson’s Soul & Watch Him Bleed

    Sean Strickland has intense emotions about his upcoming main event fight against Jack Hermansson.

    Strickland’s fight against Hermansson is still two months out, but he already has intense emotions about how the bout could play out. The rising middleweight contender said recently that when he meets Hermansson in UFC’s February 5th headliner, he hopes to “take everything” from Hermansson, including his “soul.”

    The ranked middleweight mentioned his violent plans in a recent interview.

    “I think it’s going to be a kickboxing match. I think we’re going to stand and bang. Obviously, it’s a fight, anything happens, but like the fourth round I want to f*cking take his soul,” Strickland said to MMA Junkie. “I want to take everything from him. I want to watch him bleed. I want to watch him hurt. The fourth round I really just want to f*cking put it on him.”

    Jack Hermansson Provides Big Challenge For Sean Strickland

    Sean Strickland
    Sean Strickland

    While confident in his words and planning to bring violence, Strickland undoubtedly has a big challenge ahead of him, as Hermansson is a tough contender in his own right.

    Hermansson has won three of his last five bouts. His recent losses have come against big names in the division like Jared Cannonier and Marvin Vettori. His last appearance was in May, where he beat prospect Edmen Shahbazyan on the judges’ scorecards.

    A win for Strickland will continue his quick and successful rise up the 185-pound division. Strickland won his first UFC main event in July, defeating Uriah Hall on scorecards. The fight was his fourth victory since returning in the fall of 2020.

    Strickland envisions a victory next year, potentially setting him up for a fight against the UFC middleweight champion. He expects the result of his fight, along with an upcoming clash between Derek Brunson and Jared Cannonier, to determine who is next in line for champion Israel Adesanya.

    Who is your pick for the early February main event? Sean Strickland or Jack Hermansson?

  • Sean Strickland Accuses Adesanya Of Steroid Use In Profane Tirade

    Sean Strickland has absolutely unloaded on Israel Adesanya. 

    Sean Strickland has spent 2021 making waves. The UFC middleweight is on a five-fight win streak and has been slowly moving his way up the rankings over the last few years. But his in-cage prowess isn’t what’s been getting him attention. 

    The stories surrounding Strickland lately have been about his bizarre interviews and social media actions. In recent months, the top-ten middleweight has revealed his neo-Nazi past, threatened violence towards those sharing the road with him, and divulged his desire to kill somebody in the Octagon. 

    In a recent MMA Junkie interview, Strickland set his sights on the champion of his division, Israel Adesanya. Strickland believes the champ is using steroids and showing signs of gynecomastia (enlarged breasts in men) as a result (h/t MMA Junkie). 

    Photo by Josh Hedges/Zuffa LLC

    “Izzy’s a great fighter – he comes from kickboxing – have you ever seen a fighter with gyno for any other reason than that?” Strickland said. “Besides him, have you ever seen a fighter in the UFC that smokes weed that gets gyno? Ever? You can’t, because it doesn’t f*cking happen unless you cycle wrong. That’s a fact. We all know it. But regardless of the fact, Izzy’s a f*cking great fighter. We know that. That’s the fight I want.

    “Izzy, I’ll come over dude. We can f*cking watch anime and you can put some f*cking testosterone in my ass. I’ll do it with you. Let’s f*cking go. With a needle, I think you guys do the stomach, right? Is that where you guys do, the stomach? You’re the expert on f*cking steroids. How’s it done?”

    Last year, a photo of Adesanya’s pectoral went viral and lead to people claiming his flabby chest muscle was a result of steroid use. Adesanya addressed the drama, saying he had everything checked out, including a mammogram, but believes his condition may be due to “unhealthy living” and “smoking weed.” 

    When Sean Strickland isn’t being an absolute madman on the web, he can be found in the cage. The American’s last trip to the Octagon saw him take a unanimous decision over Uriah Hall in July. He is next scheduled to face Jack Hermansson on February 5.

  • Jack Hermansson vs. Sean Strickland Set As Feb. 5 Headliner

    Top-10 middleweights Jack Hermansson and Sean Strickland are set to collide in the main event of the February 5 UFC Fight Night event.

    The news of this middleweight clash was first reported by ESPN on Friday. The bout has been verbally agreed to by both parties and contracts should be signed shortly.

    Both Hermansson and Strickland are coming off wins. Hermansson (#6) defeated Edmen Shahbazyan via unanimous decision in May but has had mixed results in his most recent fights, going 2-2 in his last four bouts. Hermansson has also kept himself busy by engaging in a wrestling matchup with welterweight Khamzat Chimaev.

    The last time Hermansson main-evented a UFC card, he took home Fight of the Night against Marvin Vettori. Hermansson came out on the losing end of that contest and will certainly look to have a different outcome as he returns to the main event spotlight in February.

    Sean Strickland (#7) has been searching for a new opponent ever since his bout with Luke Rockhold fell apart. Strickland and Rockhold were engaged in some very heated trash talk that was expected to culminate at UFC 268 in November. Unfortunately, Rockhold had to withdraw from the bout.

    Strickland shut the door on a potential fight against Darren Till and name-dropped Paulo Costa or Jack Hermansson as targeted opponents. We now know that he has been paired with the latter opponent on the tail end of winter.

    Sean Strickland is currently enjoying a five-fight winning streak, most recently defeating Uriah Hall via unanimous decision in a July main event.

    MMA News will keep you updated on additional updates and fight announcements connected to this February 5 Fight Night card.

    Who do you pick to win this middleweight bout: Jack Hermansson or Sean Strickland?