Jack Hermansson expects to get an “early finish” against Sean Strickland and earn a title shot: “Just go in there and dominate”

By Cole Shelton - February 1, 2022

Jack Hermansson wanted to fight someone ranked above him but is excited for the challenge of fighting Sean Strickland.

Hermansson is coming off a decision win over Edmen Shahbazyan and will now headline UFC Vegas 47 against Strickland. ‘The Joker’ says he is glad the UFC is giving him an opportunity to headline another card.

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“Super happy, I feel privileged to get these main event slots, it shows the UFC is appreciating you as a fighter and are willing to put you in the spotlight,” Hermansson said on Just Scrap Radio on BJPENN.com. “I love that… I could see (this fight) coming, when it didn’t seem like I would get anyone ranked above me. I tried to get Paulo Costa, then I was looking at other options, I then heard Sean was willing to fight so I said yeah let’s do that fight. He has a good win streak and it’s an exciting fight.”

Against Strickland, Hermansson says he has had his training partners trash-talk him during sparring so he can get used to it. He also knows he can’t let Strickland dictate the pace as that is where the American is at his best.

With that, Jack Hermansson says his grappling will play a key role in this fight as if he can get it to the ground, he knows he will have success.

“It is always a big part of my game and I’m also trying to incorporate it whenever it is possible,” Hermansson explained. “I think it’s hard for people to prepare for it, everybody is kind of shocked when I hit the ground with them with how good I actually am on the ground. It will be no different with Sean when he feels what I do have on the ground.”

Ultimately, Hermansson is confident he will be able to take Sean Strickland down at UFC Vegas 47, and once he does that he is expecting to find a submission win. He knows how good he is on the ground and is confident he will be able to dominate Strickland and find the finish.

“Hopefully I don’t have to work through adversity, just go in there and dominate, that’s my plan…,” Hermansson said. “That is what I’m looking forward to doing, I can really show that I have something special and I have something that most people can’t say and that is the ability to finish Sean Strickland. I’m looking for an early finish, I don’t want a long and grueling fight with Sean Strickland, it’s going to be rough so I’m looking forward to an early finish.”

If Hermansson does end up finishing Strickland at UFC Vegas 47, ‘The Joker’ believes that could very well earn him the next crack at the belt.

“I’m definitely looking to put myself in a position to challenge for the title. We have Cannonier who fought Whittaker and Brunson has already fought Adesanya,” Hermansson concluded. “Who knows, with a dominant win over Strickland, I may just line up (for the title shot).”