Sean Strickland Critiques Israel Adesanya After Recent Losses

In a stunning turn of events, Israel Adesanya has failed to reclaim the UFC middleweight title, suffering back-to-back defeats for the first time in his career. The Nigerian-born New Zealander lost the championship to Sean Strickland in September, a result that many consider one of the biggest upsets in UFC history. Strickland, who previously defeated Adesanya, later lost to Dricus Du Plessis in January, but remains vocal about his opinions on the fighters in the division. In a recent appearance on the Verse Us podcast, Strickland expressed his controversial views on Adesanya, stating, “You watch anime, you suck, I’m going to f*** you up.” He criticized Adesanya's performance against Kelvin Gastelum, suggesting that the close nature of their fight indicated Adesanya's lack of elite status. Strickland's remarks have sparked debate among fans and analysts, as he questions the caliber of Adesanya's opponents and his overall skill level. Strickland further elaborated on his perspective, recalling his own sparring sessions with Gastelum and asserting that he would dominate him in the octagon. He also commented on Adesanya's training, suggesting that footage of lightweight fighter Dan Hooker easily handling Adesanya in practice reflects poorly on the former champion's abilities. Despite the setbacks, Adesanya showed resilience in his fight against Du Plessis, where he appeared to be gaining momentum before ultimately succumbing to a submission. The future remains uncertain for Adesanya as he navigates this challenging phase in his career.