Middleweights take center stage in Sydney, Australia.
UFC Middleweight Champion Israel Adesanya enters his second title reign in a defense against Sean Strickland. The highly-anticipated grudge match headlines UFC 293 on pay-per-view from the Qudos Bank Arena.
Round 1:
Adesanya tests out his range with kicks. Stricklands lands a leg kick. Strickland keeps moves forward on Adesanya. Strickland catches the leg of Adesanya after a body kick. Adesanya picks at Strickland with leg kicks. Strickland gets his striking going, landing on the champ against the cage. Adesanya keep firing leg kicks. Strickland stuns Adesanya with a right hand! Adesanya is visibly rocked with Strickland going for the kill. Strickland pours it on with relentless melee of punches. Adesanya somehow survives.
CDS: 10-8 Strickland
Round 2:
Strickland lands the jab. Adesanya mixes it up with his kicking game. Adesanya goes for combos up top with his punches. Adesanya throws a punch to the body. Adesanya clips Strickland with a heavy punch. Strickland continues to work his jab. Adesanya catches Strickland with a body kick.
CDS: 10-9 Adesanya
Round 3:
Strickland and Adesanya trade kicks to the body. Adesanya keeps active on the feet, throwing many different feints and strikes at Strickland to deal with. Strickland throws big but just misses the champ’s chin. Strickland cracks Adesanya with huge looping hooks. Strickland hits Adesanya with a teep kick to the body. Strickland lands to the body and then to the head. Strickland tries his best to make contact with the chin of Adesanya.
CDS: 10-9 Strickland
Round 4:
Strickland’s still in hot pursuit of Adesanya in the championship rounds. Strickland tags Adesanya with a punch. Adesanya eats a left hook from the challenger. Strickland pieces together a great combo of strikes that clip Adesanya.
Adesanya hits Strickland with a right hand. Adesanya works the body of Strickland with a kick . Strickland swings wildly on Adesanya but doesn’t find his target. Strickland lands a teep kick on Adesanya.
CDS: 10-9 Strickland
Round 5:
Strickland is pattered by kicks from Adesanya. Strickland keeps the pressure up in the final round, pressing Adesanya on the feet. Stricklands blocks two strikes in a row from the champion. Strickland catches Adesanya with a right hand. Strickland hunts down Adesanya as his punches keep landing. Stricklands stalks Adesanya on the feet. Strickland screams at Adesanya in the final seconds and lands one more blow before the bell sounds.
CDS: 10-9 Strickland (total score: 49-45 Strickland)
Official result: Sean Strickland defeats Israel Adesanya by unanimous decision (49-46)
Check out the highlights below:
Looking to shock the world tonight 😤#UFC293 | @SStricklandMMA pic.twitter.com/uLT8eQde1Y
— UFC (@ufc) September 10, 2023
No more talking 🤐
TIME TO FIGHT!!! #UFC293 pic.twitter.com/voesktO3je
— UFC (@ufc) September 10, 2023
We're off to championship rounds 🤜🤛
Who do you have up on the scorecards? pic.twitter.com/wSWDM50Lc1
— UFC (@ufc) September 10, 2023
Strickland's coach did not come here looking for the decision 👀 #UFC293 pic.twitter.com/q27dxpT42f
— UFC (@ufc) September 10, 2023
.@SStricklandMMA at a loss for words after becoming the undisputed champ 👏 #UFC293 pic.twitter.com/K52vxmLsL1
— UFC (@ufc) September 10, 2023
