In a stunning upset, American fighter Sean Strickland has defeated Nigerian-born New Zealander Israel Adesanya to claim the middleweight title in the main event of UFC 293. The event marked the return of the Ultimate Fighting Championship to Australia’s largest city after a six-year absence.
Strickland, 32, who generated controversy with sexist and misogynistic comments leading up to the fight, emerged victorious with a unanimous decision from the judges, all scoring the fight 49-46 in his favor.
![Strickland, left, had agreed to fight Adesanya, right, after Dricus du Plessis was unavailable due to injury [Jasmin Frank/USA TODAY Sports via Reuters]](https://titapost.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/09/ufc-300x200.webp)
After the fight, an emotional Strickland expressed his disbelief at his victory, stating, “Am I dreaming? Am I going to wake up? Someone hit me… I don’t cry much, but I’m trying to keep it together right now.”
Adesanya, backed by strong vocal support from the crowd at Qudos Bank Arena, was expected to retain the title he won from Alex Pereira in April. However, Strickland’s relentless assault proved too much for the champion to handle.
The fight began with both fighters cautiously sizing each other up, but it was Strickland who landed the first significant strike, knocking down Adesanya with a clean straight shot. Strickland capitalized on this advantage, closing out the first round in his favor.
Adesanya showed more aggression in the subsequent rounds, finding his range with kicks and right-hand shots. However, Strickland continued to exploit openings in Adesanya’s defense, targeting his body and head.
As the fight progressed, Adesanya struggled to make an impact on Strickland’s solid defense. Sensing an opportunity, Strickland launched a flurry of punches and kicks in the final minute, solidifying his victory and claiming the middleweight title.
Reflecting on his win, Strickland acknowledged the support he received from the Australian fans, saying, “You guys motivated me. When I’m walking in here and I heard you guys yelling. In that fourth round, I heard you guys yelling. It fueled me.”
The UFC event in Sydney made headlines in the New South Wales state legislature, as the government was forced to defend its decision to provide financial support for the event. Strickland’s controversial comments about women sparked a debate about the appropriateness of such remarks.
Strickland stepped in as a late replacement after Adesanya’s original opponent, Dricus du Plessis, withdrew due to injury. The fifth-ranked American earned his title shot with impressive victories over Abus Magomedov and Nassourdine Imavov.
In the co-main event, Alexander Volkov secured a submission victory in the second round against Sydney-born Tai Tuivasa in a heavyweight bout. Volkov dominated the fight despite an injury to his front leg, landing numerous strikes before forcing Tuivasa to tap out.
The main card also featured knockout victories for Australian Tyson Pedro over Sweden’s Anton Turkalj and New Zealander Justin Tafa over American Austen Lane in separate heavyweight bouts. Additionally, Manel Kape defeated Felipe dos Santos in a flyweight match, winning by a unanimous decision after five rounds of action.