“They Go to the UFC and They’re Pissed…”: Insider Reveals How an Australian Government Official Forced Dana White and Co. To Pull Sean Strickland out His Fight Against Israel Adesanya

The MMA world has yet to wrap its head around what transpired in Sydney seven days ago. Sean Strickland pulled off one of the greatest upsets in UFC history and left Australia with the middleweight strap. However, a week before that monumental night, the Australian government had painted a target on ‘Tarzan’, thus threatening to jeopardize the headliner. It all went down when “Sean Strickland goes Sean Strickland”.

The chaos ensued the day the American fighter landed in the Oceanic country. Fighting in enemy territory, he faced hostilities and soon seized headlines as he punched a face. What exactly happened before and after that incident is detailed by Eric Nicksick, the noted MMA coach of the middleweight champion.

One punch that almost cost Sean Strickland the title shot

The American coach sat down with Flex Lewis and talked about UFC 293. He caught the host by surprise when he revealed that they almost got pulled off the fight. Recalling the incident, he said, “We almost got pulled from the fight. Fight week. Like, his idiot punches a dude in his belly. Like a fan runs up to him and he starts talking sh*t then Sean Strickland goes Sean Strickland.”

The fan wanted a picture with Strickland, but they also told the latter that ‘Stylebender’ would knock him out. This irked the UFC star, who then gave the fan one to the ribs. While the fan wasn’t hurt, the repercussions of the act could be grave. One would not want to insinuate violence that close to the fight, but Strickland functions differently.

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“Of course you don’t want to be, you know, insinuating any violence at all. At any capacity at all during fight week, when you’re barely allowed in the country like Australia,” Nicksick disclosed. Luckily, the media didn’t pick up the incident, and everything was quiet until Strickland incriminated himself at the UFC presser. And the Australian government was listening.

“The UFC were gonna pull”: Nicksick

“Well, dude the Australian government, whoever is listening or whoever hears this, and they go to the UFC and they’re pissed. They [UFC] were gonna pull,” Nicksick added.

The UFC already had Jared Cannonier as the backup fighter, and they almost pulled the plug on Strickland’s title aspirations. However, UFC matchmaker Mick Maynard pulled some strings behind the doors and worked out a solution. Hence, giving fans a fight they would talk about for ages at UFC 293. What do you make of these comments by Eric Nicksick? Let us know in the comments below.

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