Former two-division UFC champion Daniel Cormier has backed Sean Strickland’s declare to a title shot, as noise relating to Robert Whittaker getting the subsequent alternative as an alternative continues to extend.
Even previous to his victory final month, Strickland felt laborious accomplished by having been ignored by the promotion for Dricus Du Plessis’ first title protection this summer time. “Tarzan,” in fact, misplaced the middleweight belt to the South African by slender margins at UFC 297 in Canada this previous January.
He then begrudgingly accepted a bout with Paulo Costa, outpointing the previous title challenger in a lackluster five-round co-main occasion on the UFC 302 pay-per-view in Newark. Within the fast aftermath, Strickland laid down his stance by insisting that he’ll solely make the stroll for a title combat subsequent trip.
However following Whittaker’s emphatic first-round knockout of Ikram Aliskerov in Saudi Arabia, which got here months on from his personal win over “Borrachinha,” it will seem that Strickland has competitors…
Cormier Asks: Why Are Individuals ‘So Fast To Discredit’ Strickland?!
Throughout a video lately uploaded to his YouTube channel, Cormier gave his tackle the key subjects presently showing in combined martial arts headlines, together with Khamzat Chimaev’s push for a middleweight title shot.
Cormier questioned how Strickland retains being disregarded of the dialogue over who may combat the winner of Du Plessis vs. Adesanya. Paradoxically, “DC” initially left Strickland out himself and branded the victor of a possible Chimaev vs. Whittaker combat as subsequent in line.
“Khamzat vs. Robert Whittaker to find out who’s subsequent. You understand what, or Sean Strickland,” Cormier mentioned. “I don’t perceive how Sean Strickland retains getting forgotten. He does every little thing he’s alleged to do. He wins the fights. He was the primary contender. He mustn’t all the time appear to be placed on the backburner.
“He beat Paulo Costa higher than Robert Whittaker beat Paulo Costa,” Cormier continued. “Rob goes and has that loopy combat in Saudi Arabia and we instantly begin speaking about him because the primary contender. What about Sean Strickland? I don’t know why individuals are so fast to low cost this man. We noticed it on his rise to the championship, we noticed it when he was champion, we noticed it when he was coming again. I don’t know why individuals are so fast to discredit this man.”
Strickland has equally bemoaned the rising narrative that his standing as primary contender isn’t a given, and that he ought to battle Whittaker in a title eliminator subsequent.
Whereas recognized for his tendency to say sure to whichever fights the UFC slides throughout his desk, the previous champ has been agency in rejecting a potential conflict with “The Reaper,” in addition to some other matchup that doesn’t include the 185-pound belt on the road.
