WATCH: Sean Strickland spars with NFL prospect at UFC PI
Sean Strickland was recently spotted training at the UFC Performance Institute.
After taking a risk and reaping the reward last month by stepping up to fight Nassourdine Imavov on short notice, Strickland bounced back from his two-fight skid quite impressively. He took on Imavov (12-4), going up a weight class at light heavyweight, and picked up a unanimous decision (49-46, 49-46, and 48-47).
Strickland posted a video on his Instagram of sparring NFL draft prospect Habakkuk Baldonado at the PI. In the clip, the UFC middleweight can be heard saying "Come on, hit me" to Baldonado numerous times.
Watch the video below:
In the caption of the post, Strickland wished the footballer luck for the 2023 NFL draft, for which he has declared.
Habakkuk Baldonado, born September 6, 1999, is a defensive end for the Pittsburgh Panthers, the college football team for the University of Pittsburgh.
Sean Strickland next fight - banger in waiting?
Sean Strickland recently called out the UFC's resident "Meme God" Paulo Costa. In a video posted on his Instagram that also featured Marvin Vettori, Strickland provoked Costa to react with a call-out and a quintessential wine joke.
Strickland seemed eager to get back in the octagon, having already fought twice in the previous 30 days:
"I think me and @borrachinhamma should do the man dance? I'll even buy the wine... What do you all think?"
Strickland was obviously referring to Costa's excuse of being drunk on a bottle of wine the night before fighting and losing to Israel Adesanya.
Costa, however, was unfazed by the taunts and trolled Strickland back:
"Strickland deep, deep, deep down in his heart is a nice guy, I just think one of his many problems is because he's been shot several times in the head and now he's kind of living on a permanent concussion making jokes so old he couldn't think of something updated lol all good bro."
UFC fans thought the match-up would be an absolute firecracker. Here are the reactions to the call-out.
With such a positive start to the year, who do you think will be next for UFC middleweight, Sean Strickland?