At the Qudos Arena in Sydney, Australia, on Saturday (today), two-time champion Israel Adesanya will defend his middleweight title against Sean Strickland for the first time.
The boxer from Niger, who has a stellar record of 24 victories and just two defeats, is preparing for this titanic clash with Strickland, who has a record of 27 victories and five defeats.
Adesanya’s sixth successful title defense would bring him one step closer to Anderson Silva’s record of 10 successful title defenses in the middleweight class.
The UFC has continued to feature “The Last Stylebender,” who most recently defeated Alex Pereira at UFC 287, regaining the middleweight championship in a stunning manner. Adesanya is a knockout force to be reckoned with and is renowned for his inventive fight finishes.
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Strickland, his rival, has also been on a roll, winning two straight matches against challenging opponents Nassourdine Imavov and Abusupiyan Magomedov. Adesanya had originally planned to take on Dricus Du Plessis, the strongest challenger for his belt, but Du Plessis’ injury forced Adesanya to turn to Strickland.
Adesanya, who is confident in his skills, asserts that in the octagon, he would make Strickland, who he recognizes as a dangerous opponent, look simple. He thinks the American will find it difficult to adjust to Adesanya’s distinctive approach because of his well-known striking prowess.
“Had I not requested this fight, he would never have had this opportunity. He’s dangerous, and everyone in the top five or top ten is dangerous, so I know that. However, I just have a history of making tough guys look good,” Adesanya added.
He’s not the most dangerous man I’ve battled, but he’s capable, and a man with nothing to lose and everything to win is a dangerous man. I’ve made dangerous men look easy before, and I’m going to do it again. I’m going to make a scary man look easy, so yeah.
Strickland should not, however, be taken lightly. He has a chance to win the title because of his willingness to engage in difficult matches on short notice. Adesanya will be forced to engage throughout the fight due to his pressure-based fighting style, making it an exciting and competitive duel.
Adesanya stands out in terms of fighting styles thanks to his technical mastery and striking ability. On the other side, Strickland relies on resilience, constant pressure, and strong defensive abilities. He also possesses wrestling, which might be a game-changer in this battle as wrestling is not Adesanya’s strongest suit.
Adesanya sent Strickland a parting message on Friday, when all the preparations for the bout were nearly finished. If Strickland ‘runs his mouth’ during the fight, he risked breaking his jaw, according to his opponent.
“I do wanna shut him up and I’m gonna shut him up, I’m gonna break his jaw if he keeps talkin’ to me while he’s in there, trust,” Adesanya reportedly said to TMZ Sports.
“When you’re speaking, you never know when a shot will come; the jab could hit you as your mouth is open and knock your jaw backward.
Sean ought to just say thank you. He won the struggle, received his passport, and now has the opportunity to leave the country for the first time and experience life as a human being rather than a fu*king hillbilly. So sure, he should thank me.
“He should really value the opportunity I gave him and the money he will receive,” I said.
Both competitors are clearly hungry for victory as excitement for UFC 293 grows. Adesanya wants to win his ninth middleweight belt and establish himself as one of the best in the history of the category. The underdog Strickland is desperate to win the championship and establish his value.
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