UFC: carefree Sean Strickland spars a male fan during UFC 293 open workouts

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In a plot twist that even Hollywood could not script, Sean Strickland (27-5 MMA, 14-5 UFC) has thrown a curveball in his training routine for the Middleweight showdown against Israel Adesanya (24-2 MMA, 13-2 UFC). Picture this: during the UFC 293 open workouts, Strickland decided to spice things up by pulling a fan out of the crowd for an impromptu sparring session.

Who needs traditional training partners when you can pick random supporters to throw punches with? Imagine the fan’s reaction when he found himself  potentially trading blows with a professional fighter. UFC chief Dana White did not think it was funny.

‘Do you know where the news came from that he punched a fan? Yeah [the news came from him]. Yeah, he’s beauty.

‘He played it up more than whatever and was jokingly. … The fan and him are cool. Going into this, I knew. I knew what this week was going to be like. Yes, we’re prepared for it and yes we have people around him now, so he won’t be punching people in the stomach anymore – for fun or not for fun.’

Sean Strickland poses in his UFC kit

I wanted to spar someone a little f***ing bigger!

– Strickland.

The highly-anticipated matchup between Sean Strickland and Israel Adesanya was set in motion thanks to Strickland’s impressive triumphs over Nassourdine Imanov and Megomedov. With Dricus Du Plessis unfortunately sidelined due to injury, Strickland has stepped up to the plate as the next contender to take on Adesanya.

Adesanya would be defending his title once more after losing it to Alex Pereira and winning it back from the same not long ago. Many have said that Adesanya’s susceptibility to losing to grappling would be Strickland’s fortress, but a look at the former’s victory over Pereira also shows that the champion prepared well for his opponents before walking into the octagon.

Now this is not the first time Strickland has sparred with a fan. He did it before his match with Abus Megomedov, when he invited a random fan he picked of the street for a sparring a gym in Las Vegas called Xtreme Couture.

Concerning his latest fan punching, Strickland said, ‘I was more in jest. It was fun. He had a giggle about it. I had a giggle about it. But you know me. You’ve got to do the right things.’

But whatever his reason was, Dana White has promised the general public the fun sight would not happen again.