Former US Navy SEAL, Mitch Aguiar, managed to earn Sean Strickland’s respect after going toe-to-toe with him inside the cage! ‘Tarzan’ is known for his intense sparring sessions and was also in the news after footage of him battering influencer, Sneako, went viral online a while back. Aguiar had stepped up to face Strickland after the UFC star had called out the soldiers in a video online where he’d claimed, “I don’t think there’s one f**king Navy SEAL who could survive a week training with me…”

As such, Aguiar, a SEAL veteran, and professional MMA fighter/BJJ competitor answered Strickland’s call and managed to impress ‘Tarzan’ with his resilience and attitude. This led to the former UFC middleweight champion making a bold proclamation about his challenge and also implored Joe Rogan to host Mitch Aguiar as a guest on his immensely popular, JRE Podcast!

Sean Strickland gives the ultimate sign of respect to US Navy SEAL

In the video shared on X, Sean Strickland can be seen hammering away at Mitch Aguiar inside the cage at his gym. ‘Tarzan’ repeatedly lands heavy leg kicks on Aguiar and despite both men wearing shin guards, the kicks appear to have taken a heavy toll on the veteran as he is unable to effectively put weight on the leg.

Strickland also states in the video, “Hey, Navy SEALS, I stand corrected, 25 minutes… You have my respect.” He had also captioned the post, “Challenge accepted and I lost… Mitch was a solid guy.. Actually one of the real ones….. Joe Rogan needs this man on his podcast…. he’s one of us. Throwing it on the YouTube soon.”

The video also shows a bloodied Aguiar stating to the camera that he didn’t think he would win the fight but he still accepted the fight which showcased his willingness to throw down with a former UFC champion. Strickland ends the video by claiming, “MMA fighters are the toughest motherf**kers on this planet, hands down.”

This interaction highlighted the mutual respect between the two men and underscored the physical and mental toughness required in both military and professional fighting careers. Whether this event leads to further discussions or appearances on popular platforms like Joe Rogan’s podcast for Mitch Aguiar remains to be seen, but it certainly adds another intriguing chapter to the tale of Sean Strickland’s antics. Nevertheless, despite putting on impressive performances in sparring sessions, Sean Strickland has made it clear that he is only going to step into the Octagon next if it’s for a shot at the title he once held.

‘Tarzan’ slams Robert Whittaker’s title shot despite impressive win at UFC Saudi Arabia

Sean Strickland is adamant he doesn’t want another fight except a title shot! The middleweight division will soon see a clash between champion Dricus Du Plessis and his rival, Israel Adesanya at UFC 305 in August. Meanwhile Robert Whittaker, currently ranked no.3 in the division, recently made a statement with a knockout win over Ikram Aliskerov in the first round of their short-notice clash at UFC Saudi Arabia.

As such, despite Whittaker now being on a 2-fight win streak, Strickland has come out to slam ‘The Reaper’s claims to being “next in line” for a shot at the belt. In an interview with James Lynch, Strickland stated, “He fought a f**king guy on a two-day notice. An unranked Dagi. He’s not next in line. I’m next in line. Whoever f**king wins [the title fight], they’re f**king fighting me.”

Strickland lost his title to Dricus Du Plessis at UFC 297 earlier this year and bounced back with a win over Paulo Costa at UFC 302, however, he has since slammed the split decision against ‘Stillknocks’ that cost him his title and has been adamant about his place in the title conversation. Do you agree with Sean Strickland’s claims about Robert Whittaker not being the “next in line” for a shot at the 185 lbs title? Why or Why not? Share your thoughts in the comments below!