In a shocking turn of events, Sean Strickland claimed the middleweight throne at UFC 293 after defeating Israel Adesanya. Originally considered to have little chance of even being competitive, Strickland outdueled “The Last Stylebender” for the better part of 25 minutes in the headliner at Qudos Bank Arena in Sydney on Saturday night. This victory changes the landscape of the middleweight division, giving several contenders a new lease on life. Although Strickland will undoubtedly face numerous challengers in the coming months, it’s essential to appreciate the chaos that the world of MMA consistently delivers.
By-The-Numbers Look at UFC 293
With his victory, Strickland joins the ranks of the 13 middleweight champions in UFC history. The list includes legendary fighters such as Dave Menne, Rich Franklin, Anderson Silva, and Georges St. Pierre, to name a few. Strickland delivered an impressive performance, landing 137 significant strikes compared to Adesanya’s 94. He outlanded Adesanya in three out of five rounds, with Adesanya holding a slight edge in the second and third rounds.
Notable Statistics and Records from the Event
In another notable achievement, Strickland became the first person to land a knockdown on Adesanya during his 16-bout UFC tenure. Additionally, Alexander Volkov joined the ranks of fighters who have won a UFC fight via Ezekiel choke, submitting Tai Tuivasa in the second round of their UFC 293 main event.
Volkov’s last submission victory dates back 2,759 days to his win over Denis Smoldarev at M-1 Challenge 64. Meanwhile, Manel Kape is now tied with four other fighters for the longest active winning streak in the UFC’s flyweight division after securing his fourth consecutive victory.
In other fights, Carlos Ulberg claimed the longest active winning streak in the UFC’s light heavyweight division with his third-round submission win over Da Woon Jung. Justin Tafa made quick work of Austen Lane, achieving victory with a knockdown and follow-up ground-and-pound just 1:22 into the opening round. Tyson Pedro added another UFC finish to his resume, defeating Anton Turkalj via first-round knockout in their featured light heavyweight bout.
Overall, UFC 293 was an action-packed event filled with memorable moments, impressive victories, and significant changes in the landscape of the middleweight division. As the world of MMA continues to evolve and deliver surprises, fans can look forward to even more thrilling fights and unexpected outcomes in the future.