👀😱 Israel Adesanya wants to rematch Sean
Strickland because after losing the fight he felt bullied, the same
way as in his childhood:„This time I am gonna come at him correct. I used to get bullied a
lot as a kid. He’s an embodiment of that, in the sense that he
attacked… pic.twitter.com/s240fZlqck— Home of Fight (@Home_of_Fight)
April 22, 2025
Advertisement
Israel
Adesanya is linking up with David Goggins to try and avenge his
loss against Sean
Strickland.
Adesanya lost his middleweight title to Strickland via a lopsided
unanimous decision at UFC 293 in 2023. While Adesanya was fighting
twice a year on an average during his title reign, the Strickland
loss admittedly made him realize that he needed to slow down. “The
Last Stylebender” has since fought only twice, suffering
consecutive stoppage losses against Dricus Du
Plessis in 2024 and Nassourdine
Imavov this past February.
Adesanya now wants to return to action with a rematch against
Strickland. The Nigerian-born Kiwi recently linked up with former
Navy SEAL turned ultramarathoner and motivational speaker Goggins,
who already has beef with Strickland. Strickland has repeatedly
claimed that he can beat Navy SEALs in hand-to-hand combat, even
challenging Goggins to spar him.
Adesanya also wants to avenge the Strickland loss, as it brought
back childhood memories of getting bullied.
„I have a feeling who I want to fight,” Adesanya told Goggins.
“You’ll like this one. I gotta get some get back – Strickland… He
beat me fair and square in Sydney 5-0. Whooped my ass badly. And
again, that was one of the things that made me realize I need to
slow down in my activity… This time I am gonna come at him correct.
I used to get bullied a lot as a kid. He’s an embodiment of that,
in the sense that he attacked young me, my inner child. So, I just
want to protect [the inner child] and get some get back for
him.“
Goggins’ first stint at coaching a
UFC fighter didn’t play out very well. Goggins was a primary
training partner for Tony
Ferguson for a matchup against Paddy
Pimblett at UFC 296 in 2023. Already on a six-fight skid, “EL
Cucuy” went on to drop his seventh straight against the
Liverpudlian.
Meanwhile, Strickland suffered a close split-decision loss in his
first title defense against Du Plessis at UFC 297 and was beaten
more emphatically by the champ in their rematch at UFC 312
earlier this year.