Fighters are hardwired to jump at any opportunity to climb the rankings or even cement their claim on the title shot. But this is not the case with Sean Strickland. He recently refused a potential matchup with Robert Whittaker. The outspoken middleweight fighter wants a title rematch for losing it via split decision at UFC 297.
Strickland recently took to social media to address fan speculation about a potential bout. Many were clamoring for a showdown between Sean Strickland and Robert Whittaker. It seemed like a logical matchup as both men are top contenders in the division. However, Strickland quickly poured cold water on the idea.
I keep getting asked to fight Whittaker. I beat Izzy [Adesanya], the world knows I beat Dricus. Whittaker lost to both. I am the number 1 contender, I defended that spot easily against Costa. I will wait [for a title shot].
Sean Strickland via X
Sean Strickland believes he’s already earned his shot at the title. The American fighter pointed to his recent accomplishments as proof. ‘Tarzan’ cited his dominant win over Israel Adesanya as an example. Meanwhile, Whittaker lost twice against Adesanya. Furthermore, Strickland had previously stated that he had no problem in waiting to get another crack at the title after his five-round fight against Paulo Costa.
Strickland’s confidence is certainly not lacking. In his mind, a fight with Robert Whittaker would be a step backward as ‘The Reaper’ lost to both Adesanya and Dricus Du Plessis. However, with Whittaker emerging as a solid contender after defeating Ikram Aliskerov, the UFC may be tempted to make this matchup. It remains to be seen whether Strickland would ultimately accept this potential matchup.
Sean Strickland labels Robert Whittaker a ‘one-trick pony’
Fighters such as Sean Strickland rarely hold back their opinions. The polarizing fighter is known for his candid remarks and outspoken nature. He stirred the pot shortly after Robert Whittaker’s upset loss against Dricus Du Plessis at UFC 290. His assessment was less than flattering, to say the least.
Sean Strickland doesn’t like Robert Whittaker’s style (via Sports Illustrated)Sean Strickland claimed “The Reaper” looked subpar in the fight at UFC 290. The UFC 290 bout saw Whittaker suffering one of the most humiliating defeats of his career. Du Plessis bloodied him up and dominated in both striking and grappling exchanges. ‘Tarzan’ claimed that Whittaker was easy to read and had just one trick up his sleeve in all the fights.
I think everybody thought Whittaker kind of looked like sh*t in that fight. Maybe Dricus is that awkward that he made him look like sh*t, but like Whittaker is just this one-trick f**king pony. Whittaker can fight, but he is a one-trick f**king pony.
Sean Strickland in an interview with Helen Yee
According to Strickland, Whittaker’s fighting style lacked versatility. He believed the Australian relies too heavily on a single strategy, probably referring to his ‘blitz’ type charge. It did not work against Du Plessis. Since then, Whittaker has bounced back with back-to-back wins against Paulo Costa and Ikram Aliskerov. The future looks exciting for Whittaker as one more win could help him put him in a title bout.
