Teammate shares how real Sean Strickland is different from social media persona: "Dude has literally forged himself"
Sean Strickland is a polarizing, controversial figure when expressing himself in the public eye, but those who get to see 'Tarzan' inside of the gym have a different take on him. Strickland has long been known to get work at Xtreme Couture which is a hub for some of the absolute best in the sport of mixed martial arts.
One of his training compatriots Austen Lane readies to step into the cage later this week. He collides with Robelis Despaigne at UFC Fight Night: Pereira vs. Hernandez on Oct. 19. Speaking on Bowks Talking Bouts, Lane touched on several subjects including being in the gym with event headliner Pereira, getting insights on Despaigne from mutual training partners, and more.
When discussing the presence Strickland has within the gym, Lane said:
"But the dude has literally forged himself with hard work and his mentality. That's why [he is] who he is today. If people want to say oh, he doesn't knock people out sometimes and it's a boring fight, the dude always comes forward. The dude always stands in the pocket... Sometimes you need a dance partner to do that with."
Lane added:
"That's kind of what I've learned from him as well in the rounds that we've been sparring. If you go at him, he will give it right back. Despite if I'm a little bigger, despite if I have a little bit of weight, he only knows one way. I think it's a very cool thing when someone can be genuine like that, know exactly who they are, and just believe in the work."
Check Austen Lane discussing Sean Strickland as a training partner below (13:43):
Sean Strickland training style
Sean Strickland is someone who can sometimes be seen on social media in short clips putting it on training partners. This is whether they're a UFC fighter or a streamer and it sometimes can create an idea to fans of how the former UFC middleweight champion is inside the gym.
The 33-year-old is known for getting in work with former opponent and current UFC light heavyweight champion Alex Pereira as of late. Pereira and Strickland seem friendly nowadays as they help each other level up following the Brazilian knocking out 'Tarzan' when they fought.
The California native is someone who was also described as a great training partner by former two-division Pride champion and multi-time UFC title challenger Dan Henderson. Henderson stated this on The Joe Rogan Experience and said the gym needs at least one guy who goes hard to up everyone else's fighting fervor.
Check out the video of a training session featuring Sean Strickland below: