UFC middleweight champion Israel Adesanya is sharing a card with fellow 185-pounder Sean Strickland this Saturday night at UFC 276, but that’s all they’re going to share. Adesanya wouldn’t even consider training alongside Strickland, appearing on his YouTube channel to explain exactly why he’s avoiding a man “The Last Stylebender” describes as an “idiot” and “rotten apple”.
“Sean Strickland. He’s a bad motherf**ker. Like, literally bad. Rotten apple. But, I like the guy, he’s funny and he likes to talk s**t as well. And his stand up, I’ve seen him do more damage on YouTube in sparring than in his fights. Put it that way. I’ve seen his sparring footages and I would never spar with an idiot like that.
Adesanya Would Never Train with “Rotten Apple” Sean Strickland
I’ve hurt people in sparring before and I’m just like, ‘Oh, s**t, my bad.’ Or I’ll pull back with the body shot or whatever but I’ve seen what he does … and he’s talking s**t, I’m just like, yo. Whatever floats your boat, yes. It’s funny coming from us, but I don’t like to hurt people.
Even though that’s our job. I like to make sure they’re able to come back the next day and do their work and also to give me work. Because you need your teammates. He’s got many screws loose, many screws loose.”
Perhaps more intriguing to Israel Adesanya than Sean Strickland is his opponent this weekend, Alex Pereira. Pereira handed Adesanya two losses when the pair were both still kickboxing, rather than competing in MMA, with Pereira defeating “The Last Stylebender” in his final ever kickboxing match with a brutal third round knockout.
How does Israel Adesanya see his old adversary faring against Sean Strickland, who despite his “psycho” persona, prefers relatively safe, dominant wrestling as opposed to the vicious striking of his Brazilian opponent? “He might [try and take it to the ground].
He’ll have to in this fight. He might do it early on just to get him tired. If I’m going to pick, I feel like it’s that first round he has to worry about. That’s the most dangerous round with Pereira. If I’m thinking of Sean, I’m thinking his ego might get the better of him. If I’m going to bet money I’m gonna bet Pereira, but it’s a pick ‘em fight.”
Is Israel Adesanya right about Sean Strickland? Will the winner of Strickland vs Pereira go on to challenge for UFC middleweight gold? Let us know in the comments.
