"He's going to have a tough time" - Anthony Smith and Michael Bisping weigh in on Sean Strickland vs. Jared Cannonier
During a recent episode of the Believe You Me podcast, Michael Bisping and Anthony Smith shared their thoughts on the rumored middleweight clash between Sean Strickland and Jared Cannonier.
'The Killa Gorilla' saw his win streak come to an end at UFC 276 when he was on the losing end of a decision against Israel Adesanya in his first-ever shot at UFC gold. The 38-year-old will be hoping to get back into the winner's column and recapture the form that helped him earn a knockout over Derek Brunson.
Discussing the potential 185lbs matchup, Michael Bisping gave a short summary of the bout and explained why it's the most sensible option for both Cannonier and Strickland next:
"Cannonier versus Strickland set to headline UFC Fight Night. Yeah, makes sense. Both fought on the same card, both lost, both got beat. They're both top middleweights. Yeah, I like it."
Anthony Smith then gave his predicted outcome for the middleweight war, insisting that the controversial 31-year-old may have a tough time against the heavy-handed athlete:
"Yeah, Jared Cannonier [wins the fight]. I was trying to think of a way to not sound like a di** to Sean Strickland because I like Sean, but it's just a tough matchup. There's just so many good athletes above Strickland in the rankings, he's gonna have a tough time with every single one of those guys."
On July 2, Sean Strickland missed his chance to earn a shot at Israel Adesanya's throne after suffering his first-ever loss as a middleweight at the hands of the dangerous striker, Alex Pereira.
Check out what Michael Bisping and Anthony Smith had to say about the reported matchup in the video below:
What's next for Sean Strickland with a win against Jared Cannonier?
Following his loss at UFC 276, Sean Strickland finds himself tumbling down the rankings and is now positioned at No.7. So, what would a win over the No.2-ranked Jared Cannonier mean for him?
The Team Quest representative will likely be one win away from his first shot at the middleweight strap with victory over the former light heavyweight. Furthermore, he may have to overcome another killer to get there.
Strickland could end up fighting the winner of the highly anticipated bout between Paulo Costa and Luke Rockhold, which should undoubtedly be a fireworks occasion.
All talk 🗣 Sean Strickland doesn't like to keep quiet in the Octagon. #UFCVegas25 https://t.co/ZUgVDij6Lt