Former UFC middleweight champion, Alex Pereira, recently shared his thoughts on Sean Strickland’s impressive win over Israel Adesanya at UFC 293. Pereira, who faced Strickland in the past, commended Strickland’s performance and dismissed claims that Adesanya was not at his best.
In a surprising turn of events, Sean Strickland, considered a massive underdog, delivered an exceptional performance at UFC 293. He faced Israel Adesanya for the UFC middleweight title and exceeded expectations in every aspect of the fight.
Strickland showcased a unique defensive strategy and even knocked Adesanya down with a powerful right hand. He continued to dominate Adesanya with a barrage of head punches while maintaining control over his opponent’s back. Strickland’s performance ultimately earned him a unanimous decision victory.
While some observers speculated that Adesanya’s performance may have been affected by a difficult weight cut, Alex Pereira, Adesanya’s rival, disagreed. Pereira believes that Strickland outperformed Adesanya in the fight and won fair and square. He also expressed confidence that Strickland would have a successful title reign.
“A lot of people say, ‘Oh, Adesanya wasn’t at his best. Damn, today Adesanya didn’t fight the way he usually does.’ Clearly, Sean came in and shut his game down. He was really smart. He was moving forward all the time with an amazing defense. And let’s not forget the precise strikes. He walked less, circled, and landed the best attacks,” Pereira stated on his YouTube channel.
Pereira continued, “You all saw the result. So, I want to congratulate Sean Strickland. He did an amazing job, and I’m really happy for this change in the division’s champion. I think Sean’s time has come. But, it’s tricky, the way Sean behaved in the last fight, for someone else to quickly take his belt. So, let’s brace ourselves for many more epic fights.”
Notably, Alex Pereira had faced Sean Strickland in July of the previous year and secured a first-round knockout victory. The two fighters also had multiple training sessions together, giving Pereira insights into Strickland’s talent and strategies.