"My nose was messed up"- NFL star Maxx Crosby recounts aftermath of sparring session with UFC champ Sean Strickland
Sean Strickland has developed a reputation for being a difficult sparring partner as he approaches training sessions like a real fight, attempting to knock his opponent out. This did not stop Las Vegas Raiders star defensive end Maxx Crosby from sparring with 'Tarzan' earlier this year as he prepared for the NFL season.
During a recent appearance on The Pat McAfee Show, 'Condor' stated:
"Every year I try and find new things in the offseason to get better at. Sean Strickland, he’s the middleweight champ now, me and him did three rounds of sparring and we beat the s**t out of each other. Just testing myself in different ways and not questioning, 'Alright, am I going to be okay to survive these situations?' No, I’m going to go in 10 toes and see how it goes."
Crosby added that he has been friends with Strickland for several years, so when NFL Films asked him if he had anyone to spar with for a behind-the-scenes video, he called the middleweight champion. The two-time Pro Bowler noted that he had no mouthpiece or head guard before sharing:
"We did three three-minute rounds and we were banging. My nose was messed up for two weeks straight, but we were cracking. I have all the footage and everything. It was a real fight, we were out there swinging... Obviously, he got the better of me. He’s a UFC world champion. But I definitely landed some check hooks, I will say that, and the fact that I landed some, I gave him a little cut on his lip, I was proud of that."
Check out Maxx Crosby's full comments on sparring Sean Strickland below (starting at the 2:40:37 mark):
Crosby added that every piece of footage was cut by NFL Films, claiming that Strickland is a maniac. The Las Vegas Raiders star is a big UFC fan and is often present for fights.
Sean Strickland reveals his focus for first title defense
Sean Strickland shocked the world when he defeated Israel Adesanya at UFC 293 to become the middleweight champion. 'Tarzan' recently revealed that he only has one focus for his first title defense. Speaking to co-host and training partner Chris Curtis on his podcast, The Man Dance, the middleweight champion stated:
"My thing is when it comes down to my next fight, everybody's like, 'who do you want to fight?' I don't give a f**k, dude, I want to make f**king money. I get those pay-per-view buys. Give me somebody who's going to make f**king money. I don't want to fight anybody boring. I want to fight - give me someone who's making money."
Check out Sean Strickland's comments on his first title defense below (starting at the 7:57 mark):
While an immediate rematch seemed imminent, Adesanya has since shared that he will likely take some time away from the sport. It is unclear how long he will remain inactive, however, it appears that Strickland could instead face the winner of this weekend's UFC 294 bout between Kamaru Usman and Khamzat Chimaev.