Former UFC middleweight champion Israel Adesanya has received widespread support after his shocking second-round knockout loss to French contender Nassourdine Imavov in Riyadh. Notable figures like Khabib Nurmagomedov and Francis Ngannou have come out to praise the ‘Last Stylebender’.
However, not everyone is sympathetic towards Adesanya’s plight. Former middleweight challenger Sean Strickland recently stated that Adesanya doesn’t owe anyone anything after his loss. “At the end of the day dude, Izzy is a [lasting] name in the sport,” said Strickland. He believes there’s no shame on Adesanya’s part due to his age and losses.
Strickland, who has faced similar struggles with six losses in the UFC, will be facing Dricus Du Plessis for the middleweight title at UFC 312 in Australia next month. In a rematch of their previous bout, Strickland hopes to emulate Adesanya’s past success by re-capturing the title. The former champion is confident that with more pressure and less skill from his opponent, he can put an end to Du Plessis’ reign.
Source: https://bloodyelbow.com/2025/02/04/sean-strickland-breaks-his-silence-as-israel-adesanya-suffers-yet-another-stoppage-defeat