Israel Adesanya, the reigning UFC middleweight champion, will be facing off against Sean Strickland in the main event of UFC 293 on September 9th in Sydney. This announcement comes as a surprise, as it was initially expected that Adesanya would defend his title against the winner of a fight between his rival Robert Whittaker and Dricus Du Plessis at UFC 290. However, Du Plessis’ foot injury has forced a change of plans, and Strickland has been tapped as Adesanya’s next opponent.
The tension between Adesanya and Du Plessis stems from the latter claiming to be the first “real” African champion in a previous post-fight interview. Du Plessis argued that while Adesanya, Kamaru Usman, and Francis Ngannou were born in Africa, they have since left the continent and now reside elsewhere. On the other hand, Du Plessis still lives in South Africa, making him the only true African champion, according to his reasoning. Adesanya took offense to these comments, leading to a verbal confrontation between the two after Du Plessis’ victory over Whittaker.
Though Du Plessis was the preferred opponent for Adesanya at UFC 293, his foot injury has prevented him from competing on September 9th. While the UFC had initially intended to reschedule the fight for a later date, Adesanya expressed his desire to remain on the card close to home. As a result, Strickland was chosen as Adesanya’s new opponent. The announcement was delayed as the UFC had to ensure that all of Strickland’s travel documents were in order.
Israel Adesanya, a two-time UFC middleweight champion, boasts an impressive record of 24 wins and only 2 losses. He most recently secured a second-round knockout victory over Alex Pereira at UFC 287 in April. Pereira had previously defeated Adesanya via TKO to claim the middleweight belt in November at UFC 281. Adesanya, who is ranked No. 4 on ESPN’s pound-for-pound list and the No. 1 middleweight, has successfully defended his title five times, second only to Anderson Silva’s record of ten middleweight title defenses in UFC history.
Meanwhile, Sean Strickland has been making waves in the middleweight division with two consecutive wins following a two-fight losing streak. The Las Vegas resident’s most recent victory was a second-round TKO against Abus Magomedov on July 1st. Since moving up to middleweight in 2020, Strickland has won seven out of his last nine fights, showcasing his skill and determination in the division.
The announcement of Adesanya vs. Strickland as the main event for UFC 293 has generated a buzz among MMA fans, particularly in Australia. With Adesanya’s growing popularity and Strickland’s impressive performances, this matchup promises to be an exciting clash between two talented middleweights. As the UFC continues to expand its reach in various international markets, this event in Sydney showcases the organization’s commitment to delivering high-quality fights to fans around the world.
The upcoming UFC 293 main event in Sydney, Australia, will feature Israel Adesanya defending his middleweight title against Sean Strickland. Despite the change in plans due to Du Plessis’ foot injury, the anticipation for this fight remains high. Adesanya’s exceptional career and title defense record, combined with Strickland’s recent success and journey in the middleweight division, promise an intense battle inside the Octagon. As MMA enthusiasts await this highly anticipated matchup, it is clear that the UFC’s decision to host this event in Australia will undoubtedly create a memorable night for fight fans worldwide.
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