It’s a brave man who would take on any ranked fighter on the UFC roster, but one Australian fan did exactly that. Sean Strickland, who challenges for the UFC middleweight title this weekend, was faced with an Israel Adesanya superfan, who talked a little smack to Strickland and was greeted with a punch “right in the guts” in response.
Supposedly, the fan walked up to Strickland and said “Izzy is gonna f*** you up.” “Boom, right in the guts. I’d only been in Australia a day and already I’d committed an assault. Initially, I thought the guy was coming up for a photo.
UFC: Sean Strickland Punches Izzy Fan “Right in the Guts”
Because anybody who wants a photo, man, I love the fans. But if you wanna come up to me and run your f***ing mouth, I’ll smack you like I smack anybody else.
Uppercut to his stomach. Then I walked away. But if I see the guy again, man, no problems. I’ll thank him for not pressing charges.” Strickland also took the opportunity to blast his opponent’s personality, from his fashion sense to how he treats the fans.
“Izzy is authentic. He paints his nails, is very authentic to what he is. He’s just another guy with a lot of money who is trying to be a superstar. He doesn’t give a f*** about me, doesn’t give a f*** about you, doesn’t give a f*** about the world.
I was in the airport once and took a picture with some guy and he thanked me. He said ‘Man, I just did the same with Izzy and he was such an a-hole, he wouldn’t even shake my hand.’ People care about the perception we give off. And the perception Izzy gives off is that he’s a superstar.
He’s stuck up. “I’ve heard people inside of the organization say, out of the organization, people like me because I’m authentic. I don’t wear a pearl necklace. I don’t drive a BMW. I don’t wear designer clothes.
So people like me because I represent them. People don’t like Izzy because he thinks he’s better than everyone else — the way he dresses, the way he talks, the way he acts. If Izzy could learn anything from me it’s get off your high horse, people will like you a bit better.”
Whether Strickland can back up all the trash talk will be tested this weekend as he challenges for Adesanya’s middleweight title. Adesanya’s sole loss at middleweight in his UFC career was against Alex “Poatan” Pereira, who didn’t even need one round to finish Strickland when they squared off a year back.
