"Sad that he's the class of champion" - Sean Strickland says Israel Adesanya will 'dance on twinkle toes' and outpoint Alex Pereira but is still "a b***h"
Sean Strickland believes Israel Adesanya will bet Alex Pereira in a potential clash for the middleweight crown. However, Strickland insists that despite this, the reigning champion is still a 'b***h*'.
According to Strickland, Adesanya will adopt his usual range fighting style to outpoint 'Poatan' for five rounds. 'Tarzan' said in a recent interview with The Schmo:
"I think Izzy's gonna beat Alex. I think Izzy's gonna stand there and Izzy's gonna bounce around and outpoint Alex for five rounds. We're all gonna say Izzy's the best in the world. Doesn't change the fact he's a b***h."
Strickland acknowledged that a win is a win irrespective of how it came. The UFC middleweight believes people will remember Adesanya for beating Pereira even if he 'dances around' for twenty-five minutes.
Although he is rooting for Adesanya to lose, Strickland thinks the champ will successfully defend his title against Pereira. 'Tarzan' also threw shade at 'The Last Stylebender' once again for painting his nails, as he has in the past. The 31-year-old is disappointed to see Israel Adesanya mark the standard of UFC champions these days:
"Izzy's gonna float around and win but at the end of the day no one remembers how you win, they just remember that you win. So even though he's gonna f***ing dance around on his little twinkle toes, he's still gonna win ... The guy f***ing paints his nails. It's sad... It's sad that he is the class of champion that we have. Genetically gifted, great fighter but it's sad that that's the class of champions we have these days."
Watch Strickland's interview with The Schmo below:
Israel Adesanya's coach believed Sean Strickland was a legitimate title contender
Adesanya defended his middleweight strap against Jared Cannonier via a lukewarm unanimous decision in the main event at UFC 276. The same card saw Sean Strickland's rise stopped by a vicious KO loss to Alex Pereira.
Pereira, who holds two kickboxing wins over Israel Adesanya, was called out by the Kiwi for his next title defense. While Strickland vs. Adesanya doesn't seem likely to happen anytime soon, the two traded barbs at the UFC 276 press conference.
Adesanya's coach Eugene Bareman also believed Strickland was next in line for a title shot against 'The Last Stylebender'. The City Kickboxing chief was disappointed with 'Tarzan' for opting to strike against an established knockout artist. Bareman recently told Submission Radio:
"Sean Strickland fumbled the bag. Yeah, I don’t know. Like, come on, man. That, I thought, was the fight. But he fumbled the bag. I don’t want to talk too much on their fight, but look, man, did he think he wasn’t fighting one of the best strikers in the world that can take you out if you stand in front of him?
Watch Bareman's appearance on Submission Radio below: