The UFC belt is the ultimate prize for a fighter. It comes with respect, fame, and a financial upside down. But most of all, it cements the fighter as the best in the world in their division. The longing for this belt is even greater once the fighter has held it. This is the case with Sean Strickland. But, there is good news for him as UFC CEO Dana White has finally spoken in his favor.
The UFC CEO confirmed that Strickland will be next in line for a shot at the UFC middleweight title. Strickland will now prepare to face the winner of the upcoming title bout between Dricus du Plessis and Israel Adesanya.
”He [Sean Strickland] is ranked number one in the world. He deserves the fight if that happens,” said White at the Contender Series media scrum.
Strickland’s path to this opportunity has been anything but smooth. He appeared to be on the ropes after losing his middleweight title to Du Plessis at the UFC 297. However, he bounced back with a narrow split decision victory over former title challenger Paulo Costa at the UFC 302.
While Strickland’s supporters are undoubtedly thrilled, the road to the title seems increasingly crowded. With Du Plessis challenging Adesanya for the middleweight belt and Whittaker and Chimaev potentially in the mix, it’s clear that the UFC middleweight division is brimming with talent and intrigue.
Dricus Du Plessis Doesn’t Think Sean Strickland Deserves The Title Shot Next
Du Plessis is set to defend his title against Adesanya at the UFC 305. The South African fighter’s comments come amid a backdrop of shifting dynamics and competitive rivalries. Following his victory over ‘Tarzan‘ at the UFC 297, Du Plessis is keen to ensure that the competition for his belt remains intense and well-deserved.
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The reigning middleweight champion has made his stance clear. He believes the winner of the upcoming bout between Khamzat Chimaev and Robert Whittaker should be the next contender for the middleweight title rather than Sean Strickland.
“The winner of Khamzat and Whittaker is gonna get the title shot. That’s gonna happen. Strickland says he’s gonna wait until he gets a title shot. He’s gonna wait for quite a while, in my opinion,’ said Du Plessis in an interview with Shak MMA.
But Strickland was not the only one who received a promise of a title shot. The winner of Chimaev and Whittaker was also promised a shot. The fight didn’t happen, but they were scheduled to meet again soon. Essentially, the significance of words only becomes real when the dotted line is signed, and fighters face each other in the UFC octagon.
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