The Strickland Era: How Long Will He Rule Middleweight?

SYDNEY, AUSTRALIA - SEPTEMBER 10: (R-L) Sean Strickland and Israel Adesanya of Nigeria talk after their UFC middleweight championship fight during the UFC 293 event at Qudos Bank Arena on September 10, 2023 in Sydney, Australia. (Photo by Chris Unger/Zuffa LLC via Getty Images)

Sean Strickland (28-5) shocked the world with his victory against incumbent champion Israel Adesanya (24-3) at UFC 293 last week. The unlikely win came to the surprise of many, including this writer, who believed his matchup with Adesanya was an easy layup. However, Strickland has clearly made improvements to his game, and his style proved awkward for the accomplished Nigerian striker.

With that being said, Middleweight is now in an interesting position, with plenty of compelling matchups to be made for the title at this point. 

So join me as I explore the multiple options that lay at Strickland’s feet, and let’s see how long Strickland will remain at the top of the Middleweight division.

Strickland vs Adesanya 2

 t’s no secret that Adesanya is an established name for the UFC, and so it's unlikely that they will want to lose that star power any time soon. UFC President Dana White has all but confirmed a rematch between Strickland and Adesanya, but will that fight go any different from what we’ve seen before?

To Adesanya’s credit, he has been known to make adjustments to his game from fight to fight. In his rematch with Alex Pereira (8-2), Adesanya realised the folly of giving ground and fought a more aggressive fight, particularly when Pereira had him backed up in the cage. It’s possible that Adesanya will make adjustments by jabbing to the body, pivoting off the jab, and using more variety in his strikes to make life difficult for Strickland.

However, there is some cause for concern for Adesanya fans. The long time champion really did not seem to be happy in the last few rounds and seemed to accept defeat towards the end of the fight. This is a pretty big contrast from the man who was "prepared to die" in his interim title fight against Kelvin Gastelum (18-8-1). Adesanya’s mental state and whether he is willing to do what is needed to win are hugely important for a rematch with Strickland.

This doesn't even factor in the changes Strickland may bring into the fight. It’s clear that Adesanya is going to struggle to land the jab on Strickland. He’s also going to get his kicks checked and caught. Strickland allegedly has an underrated grappling game, and if he could leverage that against Adesanya in a rematch, it might prove to be too much for the former champion.

Strickland vs Du Plessis

Dricus Du Plessis (20-2) may be the biggest loser from an Adesanya loss this past weekend. After his own upset victory over perennial contender Robert Whittaker (24-7) earlier this year, Du Plessis seemed set on being the next challenger for the title. However, after having to pull out of the title fight with Adesanya due to a foot injury he got in the Whittaker fight, it seems like Du Plessis may be in no man’s land. But if Strickland vs Adesanya 2 falls through, there may be a compelling matchup in the cards with Du Plessis.

Strickland should have an advantage on the feet with Du Plessis; he’s the more technical striker (relatively speaking) and has a more systematic defensive game. But Du Plessis does have ridiculous attributes, particularly in regards to his size and power. We’ve seen Strickland struggle with big, heavy hitters like Cannonier and Pereira, but Du Plessis may not have the technical craft to compete.

There’s also Du Plessis’ concerning defensive responses; he tends to accept his opponents offense and shell up, waiting for them to finish their strikes before returning with his own. While this worked well against the in-and-out striking of Whittaker, Strickland is not someone who lets his opponent have their "turn" in striking exchanges. Du Plessis could find himself caught against the fence, eating Strickland’s offence, without much opportunity to return.

Athleticism can always change things. Du Plessis definitely has a puncher's chance, and while Strickland can be hard to hit, he isn’t a defensive savant. More than that, it’s clear from his win over Whittaker that Du Plessis is a thoughtful fighter who tailors his approach to each opponent. If Du Plessis puts a considered effort into body punching, kicking Strickland’s body, and doesn’t concede ground to Strickland, he could have more opportunities to leverage his athletic gifts.

My main worry for Du Plessis is that he can't leverage his A-game. While he struggles on his feet and his takedown game leaves much to be desired, his grappling—especially when on top of opponents—is definitely world-class, at least by MMA standards. But Strickland is an awesome grappler in his own right, for Middleweight at least, and has managed to survive more accomplished top players, most notably Kamaru Usman (20-3).

Strickland vs Costa or Chimaev

Costa vs Chimaev might be the next number one contender fight, particularly if Khamzat Chimaev (12-0) wins. But regardless of who wins, both fighters offer an intriguing matchup for Strickland. Paulo Costa (14-2) has power, pace, and aggression. He hits the body a ton, and these are all elements that could prove difficult for Strickland. But Costa is chinny and seems to have lost the confidence that helped make him a compelling contender, and if the fight goes long, Strickland will probably have the staying power to take over late.

Chimaev offers a new look for Strickland. His wrestling-heavy game coupled with his athleticism may prove too much for the new champion. That being said, Strickland is no slouch off his back and could survive long enough to turn the tides. However, I think out of all the possible matchups for Strickland, this is probably the one that threatens his reign the most.

Strickland vs Cannonier 2

To be honest, the first fight was not that compelling, so I’m not really keen on going into any kind of detail here. Jared Cannonier (17-6) seems to have changed his approach, as seen in his fight with Marvin Vettori (19-7-1). This could bode well for him, since I think Strickland is a much worse fighter going backward than he is coming forward, and I don’t think he’d be confident trying to push a determined Cannonier back. But I have the feeling that Cannonier might play safe, and that could work in his favour, but Strickland has improved his leg kick defence, and so it might be a lot more difficult for Cannonier to eke out a win against Strickland over five rounds.

How Long Will Strickland Rule Middleweight?

Sean Strickland’s unlikely rise has made Middleweight a more interesting place, at least in terms of speculating outcomes. While I’m not confident the Strickland era will be a long ride, it may offer some intriguing matchups. That being said, Strickland is really boring to watch, so while we might have fun speculating outcomes, we’re probably not going to be in an era of great violence.