Henry Cejudo thinks Sean Strickland’s best chance to beat Israel Adesanya is to be aggressive.
Strickland (27-5 MMA, 14-5 UFC) challenges middleweight champion Adesanya (24-2 MMA, 13-2 UFC) in the UFC 293 main event at Qudos Bank Arena in Sydney. The main card airs on pay-per-view following prelims expected on ESPN and ESPN+.
Strickland is known to tactically pick his opponents apart by fighting long and using his jab. But Cejudo doesn’t see Strickland winning a tactical battle against elite kickboxer Adesanya, and urges him to go for broke if he wants any chance at dethroning “The Stylebender.”
“Here you have it, Sean Strickland: I’m going to give you some actual keys. What would be the keys for you to beat Israel Adesanya? I’m an Israel Adesanya hater till I die and not just that, but everybody at City Kickboxing too,” Cejudo said on his YouTube channel. “The keys for a guy like Sean Strickland – do I think you’re going to win, Sean? No, I don’t. You’re going to have to take space – take space and create fights. You have to take risk.”
Cejudo is known for breaking down fights, but doesn’t see too many paths to victory for Strickland – especially on the feet. So, Cejudo suggests Strickland make it an ugly fight.
“You’re going to have to take space, create fights, but more importantly take risk,” Cejudo said. “(Adesanya’s) job is to actually finish. He cannot be in Sydney, Australia, and go to a decision. His job is to finish you in his hometown. Go for broke. You’re planning on striking, you might as well take every chance that you have to beat him, whether it’s in the first or whether it’s in the second round.
“Typically I give better keys, but because Sean is strictly one-dimensional, he’s just going to use hands against a guy who has fought some of the best, who has beat some of the best. Even in the striking world and kickboxing, those are your best shots.”
For more on the card, visit MMA Junkie’s event hub for UFC 293.
