Former champion Sean Strickland may not get a chance to reclaim the title, but he is intent on waiting for an opportunity.
The highly anticipated clash between Israel Adesanya and current middleweight champion Dricus Du Plessis, recently announced and scheduled to take place in the main event of UFC 305 in Australia on August 17, is set to be a thrilling spectacle. The fight will be Plessis’s first time defending his title, even after speculations of a rematch between him and Strickland. However, Strickland is content with biding his time, as he took to Instagram to share a photo with the caption “I’ll wait…”
The fight is set to be a memorable one, as the winner will most likely battle Strickland. The American won the middleweight title from Adesanya in 2023, but he wasn’t able to hang on to it as he was defeated by the South African fight Du Plessis the next year. The fight was a fierce one, with both opponents landing heavy punches throughout the five-round match, but Strickland was defeated following a split decision loss.
Since then, Strickland has had his eyes set on winning back the belt, but he was matched up with Paulo Costa instead. He emerged victorious with a unanimous decision at UFC 302. Strickland’s call for a rematch with Plessis was swift, but it seems UFC has other plans in mind. Strickland’s history with both fighters ensures him a rematch spot, and his back-to-back wins against previous opponents position him as a formidable opponent, unlike Adesanya and Plessis who haven’t faced any opponents since Strickland.
