BREAKING: Dana White confirms Sean Strickland will fight winner of du Plessis vs. Adesanya
(via Jimrohm)
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— Cageside Access (@CagesideAccess)
August 13, 2024
Dana White has provided some clarity to the Ultimate Fighting Championship middleweight title fight, at least for now.
Dricus du Plessis will defend his middleweight belt against former champion Israel Adesanya in the main event of UFC 305 on Saturday in Perth, Australia, and after the bout is over, several contenders appear to have a legitimate claim to the title bout next.
The winner of the bout between Robert Whittaker and Khamzat Chimaev, scheduled for October at UFC 308, is one of the likely candidates. However, No. 1 ranked contender Sean Strickland is adamant he will fight for the title next, even turning down the possibility of a matchup with Whittaker if “Bobby Knuckles” beats Chimaev. During an appearance on “The Jim Rome Show,” White hinted that Strickland could be next in line to fight for the 185-pound belt.
“Look, Sean Strickland is currently the No. 1 ranked middleweight in the world,” White said. “The answer is yes, yes.”
UFC 305: du Plessis vs. Adesanya, Saturday at 10 PM ET on ESPN+. Order now! Adesanya and du Plessis were originally scheduled to meet at UFC 293 in September 2023, but when “Stilnox” withdrew from the bout with a leg injury, the title opportunity opened up for Strickland. The Extreme Couture representative put on a masterclass in defensive striking to earn a unanimous decision victory over Adesanya in one of the biggest upsets in UFC title fight history. Strickland then lost the title via split decision to du Plessis recently at UFC 297, a decision he still disputes to this day.
During Dana White’s Contender Series post-fight press conference on Tuesday night, the UFC CEO reiterated his position.
“He’s ranked No. 1 in the world. He deserves this fight … Strickland deserves it,” White said.
