UFC: Dana White hints there would be a rematch, following Israel Adesanya’s loss to Sean Strickland

After former middleweight champion, Israel Adesanya (24-3 MMA, 13-3 UFC) lost to Sean Strickland (28-5 MMA, 15-5 UFC) in a record-setting title upset, both fans and UFC president, Dana White’s jaws are still hanging open from surprise.

Sean Strickland was not expected to be the winner, given Adesanya’s calculated way of fighting, former win streaks at the middleweight peak, and overflowing confidence prior to the bout.

The testimony Dana White gave while hinting there should be a rematch gave voice to the views of many that saw the match.

‘He [Adesanya] looked like he couldn’t get off. He looked like he was really stiff tonight. He looked very slow. … Only Israel knows what’s going on. I’m very curious to see what he says at this press conference tonight.

‘There are a million things that could go wrong. Some days you wake up and you’re just not there, man. It’s just not there. He looked bone-dry tonight, standing up really tall. He looked very slow. He looked like he couldn’t get off at all. Even in the fifth round when everybody knew he needed a knockout to win the fight, there was no sense of urgency to try to finish the fight. So I don’t know if he’s hurt or if tonight’s the night.’

According to the unanimous decision, Strickland won with a good margin (49-46, 49-46, 49-46).

But pundit, Daniel Cormier thinks there should not be a rematch, and hinted he understood that the UFC was afraid to lose a highly celebrated brand. He opined that the organisation should spend no further time on the unexpected result.

‘It’s like a brand new world, right? Like The Little Mermaid – a whole new world. Sean Strickland now opens up the possibility of so many fresh matchups.

‘Cannonier just weighed in also and has a victory over Sean Strickland. But I’ve got to imagine Dricus Du Plessis will be the next guy, especially after being the one that was supposed to be here tonight.

‘I’ll tell you, he’s kicking himself in South Africa right now, because if there was a time to get Adesanya, tonight was the night. There was a lot that goes into this fight, and Sean Strickland did what he was supposed to do. But I figure Du Plessis, unless Khamzat Chimaev just completely wipes out Paulo Costa.’

According to Cormier, Adesanya should be left alone.

‘The last time Izzy lost, all we could speak about was he should be next again. I don’t think that this time. I don’t think he should fight for a belt next. I don’t think he should get an automatic rematch. I think the division needs to move on a little bit.’

One thing is clear though in the UFC world: there is only one boss, and that is presently Dana White. It seems the UFC president esteems the bad result on his table as being unfavourable for business, given the history of the loser and the diversity of attention his career has brought to the UFC.

All indicators point towards a speedy rematch. Israel Adesanya would feel the weight of the world on his shoulder’s in the octagon on that day, the same weight that has caused many champions before his time to lose or resign.

Many have started murmuring that the superstar should resign. Adesanya would not be willing to resign. To retake his relevance, however, he must go through a second bout with new middleweight champion, Sean Strickland.

 

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