You know things are about to get wild when Sean Strickland enters the gym. The former middleweight champ hasn’t returned to the Octagon since his UFC 312 loss to Dricus Du Plessis, but that doesn’t mean he’s taken a break from making his presence being felt. ‘Tarzan,’ known for his controversial sparring sessions with influencers and non-fighters, just found himself in unfamiliar territory.

Enter Bengals rookie offensive lineman Dylan Fairchild. In a surprise wrestling session, the NFL prospect didn’t just hold his own; he gave Strickland a serious run for his money. Mayhem? Absolutely.

Currently out of action after his last bout with Dricus Du Plessis ended in disaster, Strickland has not stopped training, and found himself in the Octagon against a 300 lbs giant, Dylan Fairchild. A recent clip circulating on social media shows the former UFC champion going head-to-head in a sparring session with the Cincinnati Bengals’ lineman.

The Bengal rookie appears to be utilizing his wrestling skills to increase his grip as well as his strength, and Strickland is helping him in his endeavor. In the clash of grit and size, Strickland had an intense sparring session with Fairchild. The 300-pound NFL lineman brought immense war power, size, and impressive technique to the mats, which caught the former middleweight champion off guard.

From the video, we can see that despite being a rookie in wrestling, the NFL athlete held his own against Strickland, who appeared to have struggled a bit, especially due to his smaller stature. The NFL season is approaching soon, and players are starting their training regimens to prepare for the season slate. While many athletes are back in the gym lifting weights, Dylan Fairchild’s training method is a bit different. Well, let’s have a look at what the fans have to say about the entire fiasco.

MMA community reacts in astonishment as Sean Strickland gets a taste of his own medicine

The way Fairchild wrestled, it looked like he had some firsthand experience in grappling, and guess what, he actually does have a background in combat sports. One fan was curious about it, too, “He isn’t a rookie lol, he’s an exceptional grappler.” Digging further into his career, the NFL athlete didn’t wrestle in college, but he certainly has a solid background in wrestling—in high-school, Fairchild competed for a Class 7A state wrestling title in Georgia.

Furthermore, another fan added that the NFL athlete is much more than just a rookie in the world of wrestling, “Fairchild went 67-0 with 67 pins and 2 state championships in high school. Stud” A closer look at his career record shows us that the 300 lbs man was a dominant wrestler in his early days, finishing his career with a record of 67-0 record. In addition to that he has won two heavyweight state titles and finished 22-0 as a senior at West Forsyth High School in Cumming, Georgia.

Well, Fairchild’s wrestling was impressive, but what’s more striking is the fact that Strickland, despite being much smaller, held his ground against the NFL athlete. Looking at this, a fan wrote, “Impressive Sean. Also, considering the guy is much heavier.” More appreciation received by Sean Strickland, “Sean’s defense is so good.” 

With Jon Jones out of the heavyweight division, a curious fan expressed that Fairchild might be a problem for the entire heavyweight division if he ever decides to step inside the MMA territory: “Seeing the current HW division, this dude would be a nightmare.” Last but not least, a fan added, “Looking kinda heavy Strickland .” Fairchild is preparing for his NFL debut against the Browns on Sunday, September 7th. On the other hand, Strickland remains busy as he waits for his next opponent in the middleweight division.