“He’s not the caveman no more” - Teddy Atlas offers explanation for why Israel Adesanya suffered upset loss to Sean Strickland at UFC 293
Teddy Atlas detailed what he believes led to Sean Strickland’s shocking win against Israel Adesanya.
At UFC 293, Strickland did what few people thought could be done, dethroning Adesanya of the UFC middleweight title. The new 185-pound king executed his gameplan perfectly and dominated his way to a unanimous decision win, leaving some fans questioning what went wrong for ‘The Last Stylebender.’
During the UFC 293 post-show, legendary boxing coach Teddy Atlas had this to say about Strickland’s life-changing win:
“He didn’t put that extra punch together, and I’m taking nothing away, obviously, from Strickland, but that helped a little bit. And one other thing about Strickland, he doesn’t beat himself. There’s something to be said [for that]. He’s changed.” - Quotes transcribed by MMAFighting
Atlas continued:
“I was even saying in my podcast, and I was even tweeting it out during the week where he’s changed. He’s made a transition, where he’s not the caveman no more. He’s got that club, but he don’t got the torch no more. He’s got a flashlight now." - Quotes transcribed by MMAFighting
Sean Strickland’s win against Israel Adesanya is one of the biggest upsets in UFC history. Heading into UFC 293, Strickland was listed as a 7-1 betting underdog, with most fans and analysts not giving him a chance to succeed.
The 32-year-old reminded everyone once again that anything can happen in the Octagon.
Teddy Atlas claims Sean Strickland’s ‘defense was his offense' against Israel Adesanya
Sean Strickland won on Saturday night primarily because of his defensive skills. The new UFC middleweight champion made it nearly impossible for Israel Adesanya to land clean shots, leading to the latter’s gameplan being thrown off.
During the UFC 293 post-show, Teddy Atlas broke down Strickland’s impeccable defensive performance by saying:
“But his defense? Just stepping out of range, just controlling range, being calm in an un-calm environment, and just getting a little out of range, a little bit back in — not too much out, just enough to make him miss, and then close enough where he could come back with that jab and control and dictate.” - Quotes transcribed by MMAFighting
Atlas continued:
“Basic is good sometimes. He did it with a jab — he set the table with the jab, and he ate with the right hand all night long. And as far as defense, he didn’t forget about that. That was his offense, very simple, not complex, but efficient, effective.” - Quotes transcribed by MMAFighting
It’s unclear what’s next for the UFC middleweight division after UFC 293. Dana White voiced his interest in Israel Adesanya receiving an immediate rematch, which could mean Dricus Du Plessis has to wait and secure another win before getting a title shot.
It’ll be intriguing to see who Sean Strickland’s first title defense will be against.