Sean Strickland faced criticism for not delivering on his pre-fight promises of an aggressive battle in his rematch against Dricus du Plessis at UFC 312, but retired fighter Matt Brown argues that Strickland’s consistent fighting style and promotional rhetoric should have tempered expectations.
Sean Strickland made bold promises before his rematch with Dricus du Plessis at UFC 312. He vowed to bring a war to Sydney, aiming to leave no doubts after a previous split decision loss. But alas, Strickland’s approach remained largely unchanged, resulting in an even more one-sided defeat.
Post-fight, criticism poured in for Strickland’s lackluster performance. UFC analyst Din Thomas didn’t hold back, claiming, "Sean Strickland is not who he says he is." Harsh words? Maybe. But some think it’s just the truth.
Retired UFC welterweight Matt Brown wonders if critics like Thomas have been paying attention all along. On his podcast, The Fighter vs. The Writer, Brown questioned why anyone listens to fighters’ pre-fight trash talk. Especially Sean’s.
Strickland’s an elite fighter, sure. His style got him this far—why change now? Brown argues that expecting a sudden transformation in Strickland’s fighting style is naive.
Despite Strickland’s claims of fighting to the death, Brown sees it as mere promotional bluster. The history speaks for itself: Strickland’s style has been consistent throughout his UFC career. If fans expected a wild brawl, they set themselves up for disappointment.
Brown points out that the UFC excels at magnifying fighters’ personalities rather than their fighting styles. Social media only amplifies this effect, turning fighters into larger-than-life figures.
Strickland’s pre-fight antics? Just part of the game to sell pay-per-views. To get upset over his usual fight style means missing the point entirely.
“What’s he supposed to say?” Brown quips. “Tune in and watch me jab for five rounds?” Fighters hype fights—it works! Fans buy into the drama and rhetoric every time.
The shock over Strickland not delivering on his wild promises seems misplaced. Brown believes most fighters spew nonsense to drum up interest—that’s nothing new.
Strickland did nothing wrong by under-delivering on his outrageous claims; it’s all part of the spectacle. In other sports, stats rule, but in MMA, it’s personalities and theatrics that captivate audiences.
Brown adds that if Strickland truly believed he’d fight to the death in his mind, maybe he would—if there were no rules. But this is a sport governed by rules, where objectivity matters more than bravado.
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