On September 10, 2023, Sean Strickland pulled off one of the biggest upsets in UFC history by defeating Israel Adesanya with a unanimous decision victory to become the new UFC middleweight champion.
In the main event of UFC 293 at the Qudos Bank Arena in Sydney, Australia, middleweight contender Sean Strickland stunned the world by
defeating Israel Adesanya through unanimous decision to become the new champion.
Adesanya's defeat at the hands of Strickland will be remembered for a long time. It was not just that Strickland won; it was the manner in which he won, out-striking Adesanya, widely considered the best striker in MMA, for 25 minutes to earn a title few predicted he would hold in the UFC.
As soon as the bell rang, Strickland began a disciplined assault on Adesanya and never let up. He never slowed down, and his jab and right hand were consistently powerful. Adesanya tried to set up opportunities with feints, but Strickland pressed forward unfazed.
Strickland downed Adesanya with a right hand in the second round and continued to unload right hands on him until the round ended, setting the tone for the rest of the fight. From there on out, Strickland was unstoppable as he won the next three rounds to end the fight and prevent any kind of comeback from Adesanya.
Strickland's superior grappling and striking kept Adesanya on the defensive from the start of the bout, allowing him to set the pace.
Strickland dominated from the opening bell and never let Adesanya back into the fight, ultimately winning by majority decision and claiming the UFC middleweight championship.
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Sean Strickland defeats Israel Adesanya[/caption]
Strickland entered the battle on a modest two-bout winning streak, and "The Last Stylebender" had no responses for him. Adesanya had just defeated Alex Pereira through brutal knockout to begin his second reign as champion.
This reign, however, came to an end much more quickly than his last one did, as the UFC belt has been won by an incredible underdog with a flair for drama.
Result: Sean Strickland def. Israel Adesanya via unanimous decision with scores of 49-46, 49-46 & 49-46
Watch the highlights:
https://youtu.be/-msES-ufMig?si=yZBeqypJwOE9TQMw
Reaction to the Fight
Many MMA experts and fans expected Adesanya to easily defend his title, thus Strickland's victory came as a huge surprise. But Strickland's performance was fantastic, and he showed that he is a major player in the middleweight class.
Strickland's Next Missions
Now that Sean Strickland has the UFC middleweight belt around his waist, he can expect to face a slew of formidable opponents in the coming months. Robert Whittaker, Darren Till, and Marvin Vettori are just a few of the possible challengers. Adesanya is sure to recontend. Strickland is going to be a tough out for whoever is next on his schedule, regardless of the division.
UFC 293 results
Main card
- Sean Strickland def. Israel Adesanya via unanimous decision (49-46, 49-46 & 49-46) for the UFC middleweight title
- Alexander Volkov def. Tai Tuivasa via 2nd round submission (Ezekial choke) (4:37)
- Manel Kape def. Felipe dos Santos via unanimous decision (30-27, 29-28 & 29-28)
- Justin Tafa def. Austen Lane via 1st round TKO (1:22)
- Tyson Pedro def. Anton Turkalj via 1st round KO (2:12)
Prelims
- Carlos Ulberg def. Jung Da-un via 3rd round submission (rear-naked choke) (4:49)
- Jamie Mullarkey def. John Makdessi via unanimous decision (29-28, 29-28 & 29-28)
- Chepe Mariscal def. Jack Jenkins via 2nd round submission (arm injury) (3:19)
- Nasrat Haqparast def. Landon Quinones via unanimous decision (30-28, 30-27 & 30-27)
Early Prelims
- Charles Radtke def. Mike Mathetha via unanimous decision (29-27, 29-27 & 29-27)
- Gabriel Miranda def. Shane Young via 1st round submission (rear-naked choke) (:59)
- Kevin Jousset def. Kiefer Crosbie via 1st round submission (rear-naked choke) (4:49)
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