It looks like the Nevada State Athletic Commission’s decision proved to be a blessing in disguise. To address his anger management issues, the regulatory body instructed Sean Strickland to coach a women’s MMA team. A measure that now seems to be paying off. At UFC 320, the early preliminary bouts saw Venezuelan flyweight prospect Veronica Hardy secure a convincing victory over Brogan Walker.

The spotlight naturally turned to Sean Strickland, whose guidance may have helped put Hardy’s career back on track. The 29-year-old Caracas-born fighter returned after an 11-month layoff. She last competed against Eduarda Moura at UFC 309, where she suffered a decision loss. Considering Strickland’s personality traits, especially his macho image, one might have wondered how the former middleweight champion would manage a group of women eager to make their mark in the cage. So Hardy confirmed his reputation. But she also shared how much she gained under his guidance. Strickland’s unruly behavior didn’t seem to bother her, it seems.

Sean Strickland: MMA’s unfiltered coach

Some interesting insights emerged during the post-fight interview. A reporter asked Hardy, “What is Sean Strickland like as a coach? Can you just shed some light on what he’s really like outside of the cameras?” The Venezuelan fighter, who made her UFC debut eight years ago, first recalled Strickland’s humorous nature. He would complain about teaching women. But he also showed a caring side, albeit in his own way. “He cares about everybody. Probably not the best vocabulary because he’ll be like, “Come over here. Let me show you how I kicked your a**,” Hardy said.

One quickly understands and learns a lot from Strickland once it’s clear that he basically means well. So expressing her gratitude, Hardy added, “If you like, if you understand that he’s doing it from a good place, you can learn a lot from him, and he has a lot to give and a lot to teach.”

Later, another reporter asked how Strickland would assess her win over Brogan Walker. Hardy replied, “I don’t think he’s gonna be that happy. Be like, “Dude, what the f**k? “There’s gonna be a lot of curse words to that.” She explained that the former champion would critique her for not wrestling Walker. Still, despite his critiques, she understood that Strickland simply wants her to improve.

In late August, Veronica spoke briefly about Strickland’s new role.

Sean Strickland’s journey to the corner explained

She said, “Part of Sean Strickland’s suspension reduction deal is to coach women’s MMA. He’s clocking in the hours. I have suggested to the Commission that he has to corner female MMA as well. Waiting to hear back…”

The experiment with coaching women MMA fighters followed the June incident at a Tuff-N-Uff event. After a meltdown that resulted in an altercation, the Nevada State Athletic Commission reportedly suspended Sean Strickland. The MMA fighter received a six-month suspension alongside a $5,000 fine. Since the suspension started from the date of the incident, it was expected to last until December 29 this year.

However, a provision allowed for a reduction of the term. It required Strickland to complete an anger management course. If he does, the suspension could end much sooner, perhaps after four and a half months.

The coaching sessions reportedly took place at Xtreme Couture gym in Las Vegas. Considering Veronica Hardy’s success, do you think Sean Strickland should consider teaching MMA more seriously?