Ariel Helwani calls Sean Strickland's middleweight title reign a "beautiful nightmare for the UFC"
Sean Strickland shocked the world as he defeated Israel Adesanya via unanimous decision at UFC 293 to capture the middleweight title. Ariel Helwani discussed 'Tarzan's title reign, sharing how it may be a good thing for the promotion.
Speaking on his podcast, The MMA Hour, the mixed martial arts analyst said:
"Is he rough around the edges? Does he say things that go too far? Absolutely. Can he be offensive? But I'll tell you guys this, Sean Strickland speaks to the UFC fan of today and it's not just in Australia and it's not just here in the United States. You're on the wrong side of the debate if you are saying that this is the worst thing possible for the UFC, that this is a nightmare for the UFC."
Helwani added:
"You may think that from afar, if you're just some regular guy being like, 'wait a second, the guy who's talking about women should be in the kitchen? That's the new UFC middleweight champion? That's good for the business? This is the best nightmare. This is a beautiful nightmare for the UFC. This is not their worst nightmare."
Check out Ariel Helwani's comments on Sean Strickland below:
Helwani added that Strickland is a company man who won't push back and will accept whatever fight is offered to him. He also pointed out that Strickland's unfiltered approach resonates with the average UFC fan in 2023.
Dana White praises Sean Strickland's UFC 293 performance
Israel Adesanya was initially set to face Dricus du Plessis in his first title defense of his second run as middleweight champion. After 'Stillknocks' turned down the fight, Sean Strickland was named as the title challenger.
Following the bout, UFC President Dana White praised 'Tarzan' while seemingly taking a shot at du Plessis. Speaking at the post-fight press conference, the promotional frontman stated:
"He came in to hostile territory, the whole world talking s**t about him. The whole world saying he couldn't do it. A 7/1 underdog, came in, almost finished him in the first round and won the championship, won the world title. Everything that we're talking about right now about how crazy this sport is, when opportunities arise, you jump on them and you take them. You should never turn down fights when you get the call, especially if it's for a world title."
Check out Dana White's comments on Sean Strickland's performance below (starting at the 2:47 mark):
While many have advocated that a rematch should not be the next middleweight title bout, White suggested that Adesanya will be the first to challenge Strickland for his title. He claimed that 'The Last Stylebender' appeared to be in slow motion and believes he may have overlooked his opponent.