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Sean Strickland has shared his “unpopular opinion” that Israel Adesanya isn’t “that good”, after the latter’s submission loss to Dricus Du Plessis at UFC 305.
Adesanya, a former two-time middleweight champion, challenged Du Plessis for the gold in Perth on Saturday (17 August), losing via fourth-round submission.
The result saw Adesanya fail to regain the belt that he lost to Strickland in September – in one of the biggest upsets in UFC history – as the Nigerian-born New Zealander fell to back-to-back defeats for the first time in his MMA career.
Strickland, who followed his points win over Adesanya with a decision loss to Du Plessis in January, told the Verse Us podcast on Wednesday (21 August): “I have an unpopular opinion, you guys aren’t going to like it.
“I just don’t think Izzy’s that good. So, let me tell you why. Going into [UFC 293], I’m like: ‘I’m going to beat the f*** out of you. You watch anime, you suck, I’m going to f*** you up.’ Everybody is like: ‘Why would you say that about Izzy?’
“When he fought Kelvin [Gastelum]... I think Kelvin sucks. Everyone’s like: ‘Izzy’s this and that.’ I’ve sparred Kelvin so many times, where I’m like, [Adesanya] kind of had a close fight with Kelvin. Like, you’re not that f***ing good.
“You fought f***ing [Paulo] Costa. Costa was scared s***less of you. You f***ing blew on him, he fell asleep. Izzy’s not that f*cking good.”
The outspoken and controversial Strickland was referencing Adesanya’s points win against Gastelum in 2019, with which Adesanya won the interim middleweight title, and his stoppage victory over Costa in 2020.
“I love Kelvin,” Strickland added. “Kelvin is a stand-up guy. When I say you’re not that good, I’m talking about 90 per cent of the roster. I’m talking about the 10 per cent of the f***ing most elite guys, that’s what I’m talking about, and [Adesanya is] not in that.
“When he fought Kelvin, I was like: ‘You let Kelvin have that close of a fight with you?’ If I fought Kelvin, Kelvin wouldn’t even touch me. It would be one of those fights where [Gastelum would be] like: ‘I just want this thing to f***ing end.’”
Strickland also said his belief that Adesanya would struggle against Du Plessis was bolstered by training footage from Adesanya’s camp.
“I watched the highlight of his training and [lightweight] Dan Hooker, who I like, is just f***ing rag-dolling him on the ground,” Strickland said. “Rag-dolling him. Dan, he is a savage, but I will smoke you in wrestling and I will smoke you in wrestling for five rounds.
“The fact that you are taking this f***ing middleweight world champion, and you’re just beating the living f*** out of him everywhere...
“I think I f***ed up Izzy when he lost to me. I think that f***ed his head up a little bit [...] I did it from such an insulting way, like, I was making fun of his f***ing life.”
While Adesanya surprisingly failed to get going against Strickland last September, the “Last Stylebender” grew into his fight with Du Plessis and was arguably leading when the South African took him down and submitted him.
Strickland, given the controversial nature of his own loss to Du Plessis, has campaigned for a title shot against the incumbent champion. However, a bout between ex-champion Robert Whittaker and rising contender Khamzat Chimaev is scheduled for October, and that contest could serve as a No 1 contender’s fight.
