Sean Strickland may have fallen just short at UFC 297, but his coach is still being praised for a job well done.
Strickland and Dricus Du Plessis fought in the main event of UFC 297. It was Strickland who was putting the UFC Middleweight Championship at stake. Strickland and DDP went the distance in an action-packed fight. Going into the fifth round, Strickland’s coach Eric Nicksick knew the fight was coming down to the wire and he tried firing up his fighter to go that extra mile in the final frame.
While Strickland lost the fight via split decision, his coach is being heavily praised for his motivational speech ahead of round five.
Sean Strickland Coach Goes Viral
Had Sean Strickland defeated Dricus Du Plessis at UFC 297, his coach would probably have even more attention for his powerful words to the former UFC middleweight champion in the corner. Here is what he told Sean before the final round:
Full clip of Sean Strickland’s corner going into the 5th round
“We’re fighting for that little kid inside of us”#UFC #MMA pic.twitter.com/gsyaQWS70N
— Championship Rounds (@ChampRDS) January 22, 2024
“I want you to listen to me, I want you to listen good,” Nicksick said. “I need this round, okay? I need this round. Sean, everything right now. We’re fighting for that little kid inside of us, Sean. Look at me, save nothing for the swim home, baby.”
Hardcore MMA fans already know of Nicksick and his reputation for being a top coach in the fight game. Strickland’s game plan was working early on as Dricus was mostly finding arm punches. Down the stretch, DDP made the proper adjustments and was able to close the distance on Sean, cutting him in the process.
Strickland insists that the cut he suffered during the fight was caused by a headbutt. He feels the missed foul changed the outcome of the fight. Du Plessis has told Strickland to cry about it. It’ll be interesting to see when these two will share the Octagon again.
