American Sean Strickland has stunned Nigerian-born New Zealander Israel Adesanya to take the middleweight title by unanimous decision in the main event of UFC 293, the first Ultimate Fighting Championship event in Australia’s largest city in six years.
The 32-year-old Strickland (28-5), who caused a stir in the lead-up to the fight with sexist and misogynistic comments at a news conference promoting the bout, won a five-round decision with all three judges scoring it 49-46.
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It’s how he bends his knee that doesn’t sit well with me. That’s not what an unconscious person does. #UFC293 pic.twitter.com/YZEln2MsRm
— ape (@qpe) September 10, 2023
DeSean Strickland – The NEW Middleweight Champion 😂👊🏼
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–#UFC293 #seanstrickland #IsraelAdesanya pic.twitter.com/3NrMjAw1nA— Glennie Godfearing (@glengodfearing) September 10, 2023
IT’S TIME TO HAVE THIS CONVERSATION:
Is this the coldest pic in UFC history?#UFC293 pic.twitter.com/OSNmihWqhH
— Mᴀʀᴛʏs Hᴀɪʀʟɪɴᴇ (@MmaUnderdogs) September 10, 2023
The Strickland Show! 😍@sstricklandmma spoke from the heart after defeating Israel Adesanya for the UFC Middleweight title at #UFC293 🏆🇦🇺 pic.twitter.com/5O6dBdG8eu
— UFC on TNT Sports (@ufcontnt) September 10, 2023
What a fight that was and credit has to go to the fighters, top notch entertainment from both fighters.
“Am I dreaming? Am I going to wake up? Somebody hit me,” Strickland said in the Octagon after the biggest fight of his career.