Manager reveals Khamzat Chimaev wasn’t even discussed for Sean Strickland to fight at UFC 297
Lance Spaude the manager of Sean Strickland at Iridium Sports says Khamzat Chimaev wasn’t discussed for the American’s first title defense.
Strickland became the middleweight champion back in September with a decision win over Israel Adesanya. Since then, UFC CEO Dana White said that the winner of Khamzat Chiamev vs. Kamaru Usman in October would be next in line for Strickland’s title.
However, Sean Strickland will now be defending his middleweight title for the first time in the main event of UFC 297 on Jan. 20 in Toronto against Dricus Du Plessis. According to Spaude, Du Plessis was always the opponent as Chimaev wasn’t discussed.
“Never even brought up in the discussion. I don’t really know what Chimaev and his team are looking to do, but yeah, it wasn’t even really an option,” Spaude said on MMA Mania’s Sound & Pound podcast about Sean Strickland. “Maybe they’re looking down the road. Maybe his wrist or hand is really as bad as they say it is. You hear a bunch of things. Again, Sean’s a guy who will do what the UFC asks him to do when they ask him to do it as long as everything financially makes sense for him.”
As Lance Spaude says, perhaps Khamzat Chimaev’s injury made him not ready to fight in January. But, the manager says the only name ever discussed was Dricus Du Plessis. It’s also a fight that Sean Strickland is oozing with confidence as he says he’s a million times better than the South African.
“I think Dricus is like so awkward he’s good. Where it’s like, you know, I’m a million times better than him, I spar guys he’s fought, I know who he is. But he’s so awkward he’s good. It’s gonna be a f*****g war. He’ll be a tougher fight than Chimaev. Chimaev, he doesn’t f*****g deserve it. We all know that. The only reason why Chimaev gets that shot is because he sells a lot of tickets. That’s it,” Strickland said on his YouTube channel.
Sean Strickland enters his UFC 297 title fight riding a three-fight win streak.
