Sean Strickland failed to deliver on his promise of an aggressive fight against Dricus du Plessis at UFC 312, resulting in criticism from analyst Din Thomas for not living up to his self-proclaimed warrior image and sticking to a conservative fighting style.
Sean Strickland promised a war at UFC 312, vowing to fight to the death against Dricus du Plessis. But neither happened.
It’s easy to dismiss this as pre-fight hype. Strickland often talks up his readiness to leave everything in the cage, yet he frequently ends up with decisions rather than finishes. Veteran analyst Din Thomas has grown weary of Strickland’s unmet promises.
“We just have to admit it now,” Thomas stated during the UFC 312 post-fight show. “Sean Strickland is not who he says he is.” Ouch!
Thomas elaborated, emphasizing that Strickland isn’t the fighter who’ll go “to the death.” He’s not saying Strickland lacks skill or doesn’t deserve his current standing. But, he’s simply not delivering on his bold claims.
Strickland had lost a close decision in their first bout and vowed a different outcome in the rematch. Yet, the result remained unchanged. His performance was less aggressive this time around, sticking to his usual game plan without taking risks.
For most of the 25-minute bout, Strickland relied on his jab, trying to outwork du Plessis without taking real chances, even when trailing on scorecards. Between rounds, his coach Eric Nicksick urged more activity, stressing the need for a finish in the final round. No dice!
“That is my point,” Thomas proclaimed. As a coach himself, he empathized with Nicksick’s frustration but felt cheated by Strickland’s lackluster performance.
Thomas acknowledged hearing stories about Strickland’s gym wars and prowess but criticized him for not translating that into high-level fights. “You cheat us,” he lamented.
While critiquing Strickland, Thomas credited du Plessis for attempting to make the rematch exciting for fans. Despite leading on scorecards, du Plessis pushed the pace with spinning kicks and elbows, trying to catch Strickland off guard.
Even after breaking Strickland’s nose in round four, du Plessis aimed to finish before the final bell. Thomas noted that du Plessis did everything possible to make it an exciting fight despite lacking a willing opponent.
“He didn’t back off,” Thomas said about du Plessis’ relentless effort in trying to knock out Sean even in the fifth round. A true warrior spirit!
As for Strickland? It’s uncertain where he goes from here, but another shot at du Plessis seems unlikely as long as he’s champion. Tough love!
Thomas hopes Strickland can adjust his style moving forward; otherwise, he’ll end up in more lackluster fights like UFC 312. “You jab and you kick and I know you’re capable of much more,” Thomas urged, wanting to see Strickland’s full potential realized instead of jabbing his way to losses.