Former UFC middleweight champion Sean Strickland has made a significant change to his team following his recent loss at UFC 312, deciding to move forward without coach Eric Nicksick in his corner.
The decision comes after Nicksick’s public criticism of Strickland’s performance during an appearance on The Ariel Helwani Show, where he described the Sean’s showing as “uninspiring.”
Responding to the situation in a video posted on social media, Strickland addressed the matter while maintaining there’s no bad blood between them. “I like Eric; he’s a friend of mine, and he’s going to continue to be a friend of mine. Will he be in my corner? Probably not. We have so many great guys at Xtreme…we have so many savages who I would love to corner me,” Strickland explained.
The 33-year-old also revealed various challenges he faced during his preparation for UFC 312, including a staph infection, a broken arm that required stem cell treatment in Colombia, and visa issues that weren’t resolved until a week before the event.
“This is not an excuse, but that entire camp was just a struggle of, ‘I’m good, I’m good,’ knowing I’m not good,” Strickland shared. “Whether it be the staph infection, the broken arm, having to get a visa that didn’t get approved until a week before, not being able to get cornermen out there; this entire camp was a struggle.”
The split appears to stem from differing perspectives on competitive motivation. While Nicksick expressed interest in working exclusively with athletes pursuing championship aspirations, Strickland emphasized his personal reasons for competing.
“I don’t fight to put belts on the wall. I don’t fight because Eric wants to go do a fancy podcast,” Strickland stated. “Before fighting, I had the lowest self-esteem. I couldn’t even look at myself in the mirror. Through fighting, I’ve learned so much, met so many amazing people… You guys have changed my life. You’ve made me grow so much as a person, in the ring and out of the ring. That’s why I fight.”
Despite the setback and team changes, Strickland affirmed his commitment to continuing his career, stating he has several fights remaining on his contract and plans to return to training immediately.
