Sean Strickland handed Abus Magomedov his first defeat in the UFC in just his second appearance inside the Octagon with a second-round stoppage at UFC Fight Night in Las Vegas.
He has stapled his spot in the middleweight rankings and now has high hopes for the second half of 2023.
Whenever Sean Strickland steps up to the mic you best strap in. Following his brutal stoppage over Abus Magomedov, Strickland took the mic and called for a title shot before proclaiming his love for the United States.
It’s what we’ve come to expect from Strickland but perhaps he can be given some leeway considering he has fought five times in just over a year and three months.
High on ambition and with an unrelenting willingness to fight, the number seven ranked middleweight announced his intentions in the division following- in Michael Bisping’s words- one of Strickland’s ‘best performances.’
“I want the title man”, Strickland told Bisping post-fight.
“If you don’t want to give me the title, then give me meat.”
That’s Strickland in a nutshell. Desperate for a title shot but is always happy to fight in order to prove his worth to the UFC.
It is now seven wins in eight appearances at the UFC Apex for Strickland, who will be hoping for a similar performance in front of a much bigger audience later this year.
The American risked a lot in Vegas on Saturday. Magomedov’s credibility was unchecked as he was making just his second appearance inside the Octagon despite amassing 31 professional fights.
Victory on the night for the Russian may have resulted in Strickland losing his ranked position.
Strickland rose to the challenge and the consequences it posed and despite suffering an eye poke in the opening round, he began walking down his opponent in the second and landed a series of devastating blows to halt the bout.
There was a clear contrast in cardio between both fighters and it was just a case of Strickland finding his range to signal the end for Magomedov.
After back-to-back losses against Alex Pereira and Jared Cannonier, Strickland has hit a spell of recovery with two wins on the bounce. His availability, determination to fight and guaranteed entertainment whenever he steps foot inside the Octagon may edge him towards a marquee matchup later this year.
