In June 2022, Sean Strickland was on a six-fight winning streak and close to title contention when he was brutally knocked out by Alex Pereira at UFC 276. Pereira’s impressive knockout earned him a title shot against Israel Adesanya. Later on, Pereira went on to win the belt against “The Last Stylebender” at UFC 281 before losing the immediate rematch at UFC 287.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Xy3N6xME0Yk
Meanwhile, Strickland suffered a split decision loss against Jared Cannonier in December 2022, only to bounce back and register back-to-back wins, earning a shot at the belt. Strickland’s opportunity to compete for the title was partly due to a stroke of luck. Interestingly, instead of being negatively affected by his loss against Pereira, “Tarzan” was game enough to train with the Brazilian in the subsequent months.
Strickland’s Training with Pereira
Following Strickland’s upset win over Adesanya at UFC 293, some fans believe his training sessions with Pereira played a vital role in his impressive performance. However, “Poatan” has humbly refused to accept any credit and praised the newly minted middleweight champion for his “unique style.”
Pereira’s Comments on Strickland’s Success
In a video uploaded to his YouTube channel, Pereira said, “It was totally different because anyone who trains, who fights, knows how it is… That’s why I was so sure he was going to win. Another thing, there are so many people saying, ‘Oh, Sean Strickland trained with Pereira, and that’s why he won.’ But hey, let me clarify: I had nothing to do with it, OK? He won on his own. It’s totally his success because he’s such a dedicated guy with a unique style, and he really showed us what he’s got in his fight with Adesanya. So, the credit is all his. I had nothing to do with it despite the days he spent training with me.”