The UFC Middleweight champion Israel Adesanya has shown complete domination. His win streak in the division has been nothing short of spectacular. He had lost his Middleweight championship to long-time rival Alex Pereira but won it back emphatically. He has defended his title like a staunch champion, repeatedly.
However, the threats to his title reign are never-ending. Robert Whittaker and Dricus Du Plessis are to face each other soon and the winner could end up getting a title shot against ‘Stylebender’. However, that is not all. Another middleweight fighter, who recently secured a win over Abus Magomedov, is coming up and he is hungry for his title shot.
Hungry for more – Sean Strickland eyes fight against Israel Adesanya after victory over Abus Magomedov
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Sean Strickland is a middleweight fighter to watch out for. He has been consistent in putting on unforgettable displays in each match. He is a fearless man who has now added his name to the list of people who are gearing up to fight Izzy.
After securing a win against Abus Magomedov, Strickland gave an interview for ESPN MMA where the interviewer asked him where he saw himself in the near future and whether or not the title shot was two to three fights away.
“One or two fights… Yeah… I think Whittaker’s going to walk through uh… uh… Dricus – Dricus, Dricus whatever. You know Whittaker’s going to walk through him. You guys… we’ve seen Izzy fight everybody. We’ve seen Izzy fight all the top guys. Let’s get some fresh blood in there. Let’s throw some new meat at him.” replied Strickland, confident after his fresh win.
“Maybe… maybe I got something he don’t have, you know. Maybe we take it to deep waters – see what’s up… so… give me the title you guys. You guys know you want to see it. You don’t wanna see Dricus fight Izzy“, added the Middleweight fighter, nominating himself as the more deserving opponent for Israel Adesanya.
The interviewer then talks about Whittaker vs. Du Plessis and asks if he would fight Robert Whittaker if he came out victorious against Du Plessis.
“You know, right now I want, again… you give me a paycheck, you give me enough money, I mean I’ll fight… I’ll fight you right now if they pay me enough, but… I want the title. Im gonna push for the title but, you know. Like I said, I’m a prize fighter. You give me money, I’ll fight anybody.” replied Strickland.
The middleweight division’s title picture is stuck at a crossroads with several deserving contenders set to emerge to challenge Adesanya.
The Championship Crossroad – Sean Strickland joins Whittaker, Du Plessis, and others
The impact that Israel Adesanya has had on the Middleweight division and on UFC as a whole is a feat in itself. The best of the best fighters from the middleweight division are gearing up to take on the ‘seemingly unbeatable’ Stylebender. Robert Whittaker and Jared Cannonier are two fighters who have faced Israel Adesanya before, only to be humbled. Whittakers upcoming opponent, Dricus Du Plessis hasn’t faced the wrath of Adesanya yet. However, he seems unfazed by the champ’s reputation as he started beefing with ‘Stylebender’ on social media, with the feud turning ugly, real quick.
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Sean ‘Tarzan’ Strickland was supposed to face Adesanya back in 2022, but lost to Alex Pereira within the first round and with that his title shot journey came to an end.
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The fighter looks to complete his journey this time around. Will he be considered for a title shot or does he have yet another challenge to take on before he tussles with the Middleweight Kingpin?
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