Ahead of the fight, Sean Strickland boldly declared that he would decimate Dricus Du Plessis and seize the middleweight title. However, reality painted a different picture, as ‘Stillknocks’ battered ‘Tarzan’ so severely that his face was left bloodied by the end of the battle. Strickland failed to derail the South-African train for the second time and according to Demetrious Johnson, ‘Tarzan’ will have to change his game plan in order to win against the champions.

Retired MMA fighter, Demetrious Johnson witnessed the fight from his home and according to him, Sean Strickland’s gameplan has become too predictable for his opponents to read and adjust well before the actual fight. While having a conversation on his YouTube handle, the former UFC champ ascertained, “Sean Strickland has a style where he would not not deviate from it whether he’s losing a five-round decision or if he’s winning a five-round decision… He’s been doing that style from the very beginning in the last four years of his career and he’ll do it for the next four years of his career.”

Sean Strickland’s teeps, kicks, and Philly Shell boxing stance come naturally to him, which may have contributed to his recent defeats. How, you might ask? Well, MMA is a game of dynamics, and when you use the same weapon continuously without changing the flow then it becomes all too predictable. That’s what happened with Sean Strickland as his opponents are now predicting his moves effortlessly.

Giving him a piece of advice, Demetrious Johnson asserted that it would be better for the former middleweight champion to swallow his pride and move beyond his generic fighting techniques, “In order to get better in this sport and mixed martial arts you have to take the time. Swallow your pride, swallow your ego, and put yourself in a position where you’re going to force yourself to evolve, get better, and learn new tools. That’s the only way you’re going to become a better fighter in this game.”

However, it must be noted that Dricus Du Plessis’s technical kickboxing skills played a crucial role in securing his victory, as his head kick and spinning back fist were the turning points of the match.

UFC analyst calls out Sean Strickland for subpar performance at UFC 312

Sean Strickland was outclassed by Dricus Du Plessis, as the South African showcased why he is the division’s champion. However, Strickland’s performance did not live up to his promises, and a former UFC fighter and analyst Din Thomas believes that he is not the kind of fighter who can turn his words into reality.

“We just have to admit it now, we have to admit it: Sean Strickland is not who he says he is. He’s not who he says he is. We want him to be something. He wants to be something, but he’s not that guy,” said Din Thomas as he exposed Sean Strickland on the post-fight ESPN show. The former UFC fighter explained that ‘Tarzan’ states that he would fight to the death but when it comes to perform, he falls apart.

“He’s not the guy who’s going to go to the death,” Thomas added, “He says, ‘To the death.’ He didn’t go to the death — he didn’t even go deep! “I’m not saying he’s not a great fighter, I’m not saying he doesn’t deserve to be where he’s at. But, he’s not who he says he is — we’ve got to admit that.”

With a career record of 29 victories and 7 defeats, Sean Strickland is arguably one of the best middleweight fighters in the world right now and it’s too early to call the cards on him. Given that, who do you think will face the former champion next? State your thoughts in the comments below.