Sean Strickland earlier on Sunday morning defeated Isreal Adesanya to become the new UFC middleweight champion of the world with all judges scoring the fight in his favour at the Qudos Bank Arena in Sydney, Australia.
A first-round knock down by the American was the highlight of the fight that went the whole five rounds.
All three judges scored the fight 49-46 for the American and new middleweight world champion, Strickland. He did it with nonstop pressure and steady, upright boxing never once attempting a grapple.
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It is back to the drawing board for the Nigerian-born fighter Adesanya as he was on the back foot throughout the clash at UFC 293.
This is his third loss bringing his record to 24-3 now while Strickland improves to 28-5.
Before the game, the Nigeran-born fighter held an impressive record of 24 wins and just two losses. He came up against Strickland, who holds a record of 27 wins and five losses.
“The Last Stylebender,” has remained a prominent figure in the UFC with his most recent triumph over Alex Pereira coming at UFC 287 where he regained his middleweight title in a spectacular fashion. Known for his ability to finish fights in creative ways, Adesanya is a knockout force to be reckoned with.
His opponent, Strickland, has also been on a hot streak, winning two consecutive fights against tough competitors Nassourdine Imavov and Abusupiyan Magomedov. Adesanya had initially intended to face the top contender for his title, Dricus Du Plessis, but an injury sidelined Du Plessis, paving the way for Strickland to step up to the plate.
Adesanya’s journey to this fight has been eventful, including a knockout loss to Pereira followed by a spectacular title-winning rematch at UFC 287. Now, he aims to defend his title for the sixth time.