UFC 293 marked the long-awaited return of the promotion to Sydney after nearly a 6-year absence, and it delivered some unforgettable moments. None were more significant than what transpired during the main event, featuring Sean Strickland and Israel Adesanya battling for the middleweight title.
Israel Adesanya was looking to continue UFC middleweight championship reign after regaining the title from Alex Pereira. However, Strickland, a replacement for Dricus Du Plessis, who couldn’t compete at UFC 293, achieved arguably the most remarkable upset in UFC history. Conor McGregor provided his unique analysis of the fight on Twitter.
Conor McGregor congratulates Sean Strickland in an interesting manner
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Heading into the contest, Strickland was widely regarded as a substantial underdog by most pundits and experts. However, the 32-year-old fighter outstruck Israel Adesanya on the feet and earned a decision victory over five rounds.
The “spar only” method crowns the new ufc middleweight world champion. Well done Sean. Unlucky Izzy. Two quality operators as well as complete opposite characters facing off, where else would you get it. Incredible! What a sport. What a company! @ufc is King.
— Conor McGregor (@TheNotoriousMMA) September 10, 2023
Conor McGregor commented on the main event with the following words: “@TheNotoriousMMA: The ‘spar only’ method crowns the new UFC middleweight world champion. Well done Sean. Unlucky Izzy. Two quality operators, as well as complete opposite characters facing off, where else would you get it. Incredible! What a sport. What a company! @ufc is King.”
While McGregor described the fight as a glorified sparring session in his tweet, the rest of the card featured intriguing moments, from the prelims to the co-main event, where an exceptionally rare submission unfolded.
‘Bam-Bam’ loses via rare submission
In the co-main event, UFC fan favorite Tai Tuivasa squared off against Alexander Volkov in a heavyweight clash. Tuivasa, who was on a two-fight losing streak, aimed to return to the win column. He enjoyed early success targeting the body and launching powerful punches at Volkov. However, the Australian fighter found himself on the ground in the second round and was compelled to submit to a rarely-seen Ezekiel choke.
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The name of this chokehold originates from Ezequiel Paraguassú, a renowned Brazilian judo Olympian. In 1988, Paraguassú honed his groundwork (newaza) skills at the Carlson Gracie Academy in preparation for the Seoul Olympics. His exceptional mastery of this technique earned him the distinction of having the choke named after him by the jiu-jitsu community.
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In conclusion, UFC 293 witnessed one of the most significant upsets in UFC history, with Sean Strickland now holding the UFC middleweight championship. Share your thoughts in the comments below. Do you believe Adesanya underestimated Strickland? What lies ahead for Sean Strickland’s championship reign?
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