Ahead of his UFC 293 title fight, MMA fighter Sean Strickland claimed he punched a fan of his opponent Israel Adesanya in the stomach after the fan insulted him in Sydney, Australia.
Sean Strickland is making a name for himself in Australia as he prepares for his middleweight title fight. Set to go against current champion Israel Adesanya at UFC 293 this Saturday in Sydney, Strickland recently recounted to Fox Sports Australia about a heated interaction with a fan of Adesanya’s. According to Strickland, he encountered the fan around Bondi Junction, with the initial interaction seeming harmless enough as he thought they just wanted a picture. However, when the fan told him ‘Izzy is gunna f*** you up’, he responded by punching him in the stomach.
Describing his reaction, Strickland said, “Boom, right in the guts, I’d only been in Australia a day and already I’d committed an assault. Initially, I thought the guy was coming up for a photo. Because anybody who wants a photo, man, I love the fans. But if you wanna come up to me and run your mouth, I’ll smack you like I smack anybody else.” He followed this with, “Uppercut to his stomach. Then I walked away. But if I see the guy again, man, no problems. … I’ll thank him for not pressing charges.”
Strickland’s public profile has been on the rise in recent years, due in large part to his controversial and bold remarks during interviews and on social media. In conjunction with his successful UFC career – with a record of 7-2 since moving up to 185 pounds – it’s not out of the question that Strickland can be quick-tempered when it comes to personal space infringements. He has previously expressed that he “would love” to kill someone in a sanctioned fight, and even acknowledged that the UFC might not want him as a champion.
Ahead of his fight with Adesanya, Strickland remains critical of his competitor’s demeanor. He acknowledges Adesanya for being true to himself, but that doesn’t necessarily mean he likes it. According to him, Adesanya is a “just another guy with a lot of money who is trying to be a superstar.” He portrays him as being uninterested or unsympathetic towards others and even highlights a specific incident where Adesanya failed to shake a fan’s hand. Strickland, on the other hand, sees himself as popular because of his authenticity, stating, “People like me because I represent them.” He criticizes Adesanya’s ostentatious behavior concluding, “If Izzy could learn anything from me it’s get off your high horse, people will like you a bit better.”