SYDNEY— Sean “Tarzan” Strickland defeated “the Last Stylebender” Israel Adesanya Saturday in an upset of proportions rarely seen at the championship level. The Middleweight championship at UFC 293 boasted an astounding -650 odds for the now-former champion.
“We are watching the biggest upset in UFC championship history unfold in real time,” tweeted TSN Martial Arts analyst Aaron Bronsteter during the fifth round of the matchup.
Commentators and fans alike were quick to point out the personal significance of Strickland’s win, citing the thirty-two-year-old’s troubled past and his relationship with his abusive father growing up in Anaheim, California as part of an unlikely underdog story.
“If I wasn’t in the UFC, I’d probably be cooking meth in a trailer,” said Strickland during a post-fight interview at UFC Vegas 33 in June 2021.
“I’m grateful for the fans, to the UFC, you guys that gave me purpose. And I appreciate that.”
The fact that the matchup even came to fruition was somewhat unlikely, as Strickland only received the championship opportunity after South African fighter Dricus Du Plessis pulled out due to a foot injury. The Californian fighter made his presence known in the octagon, however, with judges scoring 46-49 unanimously in Strickland’s favor and Strickland largely controlling the pace of the fight.
Strickland made his mark on Adesanya early, with a clean right hand that dropped Adesanya late in round one. Despite Adesanya seemingly returning in the second round fully recovered, Strickland maintained his momentum by keeping Adesanya on the outside perimeter of the octagon and pairing a strong Philly-style defense with powerful striking ability.
Striking was a major factor in the fight, as Adesanya is widely agreed to be one of the most effective strikers in combat sports. But Saturday night, he found himself bested by another striker.
“You guys, Sean Strickland is outstriking Israel Adesanya,” tweeted The Athletic’s Shaheen Al-Shatti during the final round.
The defense from Strickland was also a major highlight of the fight. Laura Sanko, in her UFC pay-per-view commentary debut, conversed heavily with former UFC champions Robert Whittaker (middleweight) and Daniel Cormier (heavyweight) about the unique nature of Strickland’s defensive style. His ability to stand with Adesanya toe-to-toe and not allow the unpredictability of Adesayna’s feint-heavy style faze him ultimately destroyed the Stylebender’s confidence.
“[Sean Strickland] bamboozled the most creative, incredible striker we’ve ever seen,” said analyst Brian Campbell, speaking to CBS Sports. “It was all Sean Strickland, all the time.”
This isn’t far off the mark, as judges scored Strickland winning all rounds except the second. Yet, despite his start-to-finish dominance, Strickland only allowed his confidence to truly shine through at the end of the final round, where he dropped his guard and talked aggressively to Adesanya.
This was quickly followed up, however, with the two men embracing and exchanging kind words after the decision was announced. Strickland called Adesanya a legend, while Adesanya showed off his sportsmanship by lifting Strickland’s hand in victory and beckoning the crowd to cheer on the new UFC middleweight champion.
This show of good graces between the two fighters is a new phenomenon, as the press conferences leading up to the fight were littered with colorful insults from both men, with Strickland making fun of Adesanya’s dog and the Nigerian fighter responding that he would “go John Wick” on Strickland.
Strickland expressed how incredulous he was at his finally winning the belt.
“What is this?” he said as the belt was placed around his waist. “Am I f***ing dreaming?”
The new champion’s incredulity continued after he left the octagon, admitting in a post-fight interview with ESPN’s Megan Olivi that he thought finally taking down the Stylebender “would be a lot harder.”
Many questioned Strickland’s ability to compete with the striking prodigy Adesanya prior to the fight, but never Strickland himself. In the post-fight press conference, he dispelled all questions about his confidence before the fight with quick quips about his hard work, dedication and nerve.
To Strickland, being a good fighter is not rocket science, it comes down to being willing to put in the work.
“I’m ready to die [for] this,” Strickland said post-fight. “That’s it.”