Adesanya loses UFC middleweight title to Strickland
Adesanya defeated by Strickland via unanimous decision
WEB Adesanya faced Sean Strickland on 10 September 2023 at UFC 293. Adesanya lost the bout and championship in a major upset via unanimous decision.
Adesanya's reign ends
Adesanya had held the UFC middleweight title since 2021, when he defeated Robert Whittaker at UFC 243. He had successfully defended the title twice, against Marvin Vettori and Jared Cannonier.
Strickland, meanwhile, had won his last six fights, including a victory over former champion Luke Rockhold. He was ranked No. 4 in the UFC middleweight rankings.
The fight was a close one, but Strickland was able to edge out Adesanya in the striking exchanges. He also took Adesanya down several times, which proved to be the difference in the fight.
The loss is a major setback for Adesanya, who was considered one of the best pound-for-pound fighters in the world. He will now have to work his way back up the rankings if he wants to regain the championship.
Comments