After another wild week of media from Sean Strickland, he finally squared off against Abus Magomedov in the main event of UFC Vegas 76. Strickland was able to put down the prospect in the 2nd round after showing a high-iq gameplan that led to his finish.
Sean Strickland Outsmarts Abus Magomedov
The newcomer came out to a blazing fast start, more than doubling Strickland in significant strikes landed in Round 1. However, Magomedov fatigued after his hot start, leaving the veteran to pounce the second he smelled blood. Strickland completely took over the fight in the 2nd round and it was clear that Abus did not have the gas tank to keep up. Strickland took his time and picked the prospect apart with his boxing before finishing him late in the round.
The win becomes Strickland’s 14th in the UFC with this being his 4th KO/TKO finish in the promotion. Sean Strickland now rides a 2-fight win streak, beating two tough prospects with loads of hype in just 6 months. He feels the win streak is enough to earn a title shot against Israel Adesanya, something he was already close to in the past.
“F—k, man — it needs to happen, you guys. We know Izzy is on f—king repeat, dude. They tried to bring Abus — this is what the UFC said, ‘Man, the middleweight division is stagnant. Let’s get Abus in here. He might beat Sean.’
“And I’m like, ‘Yeah right, mother f—ker, wait until you see what happens. Every time they’ve tried to bring new blood, [like] the Frenchie I fought before, I sent him home. This guy, I sent him back. Every time they try to bring new blood in, I send them back. Give me the f—king title. I earned it … I paid my dues. I’ve f—king paid my dues. Give me that s—t.”
Quotes via MMA Mania
Title Shot Next for Strickland?
While many may argue that wins over #12 ranked Nassourdine Imavov and unranked Abus Magomedov don’t earn a title shot, Strickland is right when he says he’s taken out the fresh blood when asked. If Dricus Du Plessis can’t get past Robert Whittaker next week at UFC 290, Strickland could very well be next in line in what he’s right to call a “stagnant” division. Israel Adesanya holds wins over every fighter ranked ahead of Strickland, even beating some twice. If fresh blood is what the UFC is looking for at 185, then Strickland getting the next title shot is a real possibility.
What did you think of Sean Strickland’s performance against Abus Magomedov? Was it enough to earn him a title shot? Let us know in the comments below.
Featured Image Credit to Embed from Getty Images
