Sean Strickland’s performance at UFC 312 did not just spark debate among fans. It also led to tension between the former champion and his longtime coach Eric Nicksick.
After Strickland lost a decisive decision to Dricus Du Plessis in their rematch Nicksick was blunt in his assessment calling the effort uninspiring and questioning his fighter’s motivation. His remarks quickly drew backlash with many in the MMA community including Daniel Cormier and Matt Brown questioning why he chose to be so critical in a public setting.
Nicksick Admits His Mistake
Strickland himself was not happy with the comments hinting that he might make changes to his coaching team moving forward.
Now Nicksick is acknowledging that he miscalculated his approach. Responding to Matt Brown’s criticism in an MMA Fighting post he admitted he could have handled things differently.
“@iamtheimmortal I agree Matt looking back at it I made a mistake” Nicksick said. “My true intentions were to try and motivate him publicly and that was a miscalculation on my part.”
With Strickland considering a shakeup in his corner it remains to be seen whether this admission will be enough to mend the relationship between fighter and coach.
