by Adam Josephson
Photo Credit: Getty/UFC
Sean Strickland is confident that he has earned his place in the next middleweight title fight.
On August 17, at UFC 305 in Perth, Australia, Dricus Du Plessis will defend his middleweight title against Israel Adesanya. The winner of this bout is expected to face either Strickland or Robert Whittaker, both of whom are coming off significant victories.
Strickland solidified his claim for a title shot with a split decision victory over Paulo Costa at UFC 302 on June 1. Meanwhile, Whittaker recently achieved a first-round knockout against unranked Ikram Aliskerov, who stepped in on short notice to replace Khamzat Chimaev at UFC on ABC 6 last weekend. Many fans and analysts believe a fight between Strickland and Whittaker would be the ideal way to determine the next top contender for the title.
However, Strickland feels he has already proven his worth for a title shot without needing to face Whittaker. He asserts that he previously defeated Adesanya and believes he was unjustly denied a victory against Du Plessis. Strickland points out that both Adesanya and Du Plessis have convincingly beaten Whittaker. Preferring to wait for his chance to reclaim the gold, Strickland is not interested in a fight with Whittaker.
“I keep getting asked to fight Whittaker,” Strickland wrote on X. “I beat Izzy, and everyone knows I should have won against Dricus. Whittaker lost to both. I am the No. 1 contender; I defended that spot easily against Costa. I will wait…..”
