Sean Strickland suffered a tough loss in his main event bout against middleweight champion Dricus Du Plessis at UFC 312 in Australia. Strickland’s defense-first fighting style, which has remained largely unchanged despite recent improvements, was questioned by several fighters and fans.
UFC welterweight champion Belal Muhammad criticized Strickland for his lack of aggression, stating that he “talks a big game but never walks.” The criticism is not new, as many have argued that Strickland’s style can be frustrating to watch. Muhammad’s comments come after Strickland lost to Du Plessis in a rematch, which saw the champion outpace him over five rounds.
Other fighters, including Luke Rockhold and Demetrious Johnson, also expressed similar sentiments about Strickland’s performance. Rockhold stated that he thought Strickland “basically quit” during the fight, while Johnson broke down Strickland’s style, noting that it has remained largely unchanged despite his improvements.
However, not everyone was critical of Strickland’s performance. UFC president Dana White praised Strickland for his professionalism in the cage, stating that he remains focused and committed to winning. White noted that Strickland is an “absolute professional” who keeps coming forward with no apparent hint of emotion outside of the Octagon.
As a result of the loss, Strickland has dropped to No. 15 on the UFC’s official pound-for-pound rankings and has lost his ranking as the No. 1 contender in the 185-pound division. The exact length of Strickland’s recovery from his broken nose is unclear.
Source: https://www.sportsnet.ca/ufc/article/sean-stricklands-combat-style-persona-criticized-by-fighters-after-ufc-312