UFC 293 LIVE: Adesanya vs Strickland updates and results tonight
Re-live updates after Israel Adesanya lost his middleweight title to the controversial Sean Strickland
Sean Strickland pulled off one of the biggest upsets in UFC history on Saturday, outstriking and outpointing Israel Adesanya to win the middleweight title in Sydney.
Few fans or pundits believed that Strickland had a chance to dethrone Adesanya, one of mixed martial arts’ finest strikers, but the challenger combined constant forward movement with solid defence and clinical output at UFC 293. In doing so, the controversial American – who claimed in 2021 that he would like to “kill” an opponent in the ring one day – beat Adesanya 49-46 on all three scorecards.
Strickland, 32, dropped the Nigerian-New Zealander late in Round 1 with a picture-perfect right cross, sending Adesanya spinning to the canvas before seeking a finish. Strickland could not quite find the knockout blow, however, as Adesanya, 34, survived to the buzzer.
The ensuing rounds were close, but Strickland always seemed to be a step ahead of Adesanya, who congratulated his tearful conqueror after the result was confirmed, despite a heated build to the main event.
Re-live updates from the UFC 293 main event and undercard, below.
UFC 293 LIVE: Israel Adesanya vs Sean Strickland
Two fighters apologise for using homophobic slurs at UFC 293
Manel Kape and Charles Radtke came under fire for their language after their respective wins in Sydney
UFC 293 LIVE: Israel Adesanya vs Sean Strickland
UFC 293 LIVE: Israel Adesanya vs Sean Strickland
Israel Adesanya’s coach reveals strange request after shock loss to Sean Strickland
Eugene Bareman spoke to the media in Adesanya’s place, after the middleweight lost his title at UFC 293
UFC 293 LIVE: Israel Adesanya vs Sean Strickland
Here’s more from MMA journalist Aaron Bronsteter, summarising what Bareman said next:
“Bareman says that in his career, he’s been involved in a few rematch camps and that they’re very difficult, because you’re trying to find other stones to leave unturned, but you’ve already done that and that makes it difficult to achieve. Refers to the Pereira camp as an example.
“Bareman says that, with the benefit of time, they will find something to add to his preparation. Bareman says that he asked Mick Maynard if they could do the rematch next weekend, because he feels like it will be a different outcome.
“Bareman says that Sean made Israel hesitant and it’s a big credit to him. He countered Israel no matter what and that it makes it a difficult proposition because he wasn’t used to it and they struggled with it all night.”
UFC 293 LIVE: Israel Adesanya vs Sean Strickland
Bareman, per Aaron Bronsteter, said it was a frustrating night in the corner, and that they couldn’t connect with Adesanya.
He credits Strickland for making it a frustrating night.
UFC 293 LIVE: Israel Adesanya vs Sean Strickland
Bareman: “I think Sean’s a great fighter, and I never once thought that Sean wasn’t capable of beating Israel... [but] it was an alternate kind of universe where Israel performed poorly, where Sean could win, and I’m sitting in that universe right now.”
UFC 293 LIVE: Israel Adesanya vs Sean Strickland
Israel Adesanya did not speak to the media for long last night; he gave a brief statement, before handing over to his coach, Eugene Bareman.
Adesanya said, per MMA journalist Aaron Bronsteter: “I had a different plan for this, but life throws curveballs at you. Win or lose, I wasn’t going to say much anyway, but right now, I lost to the better man on the night, and I just want to be with people who care about me, my team, so I’m going to go do that.
“But I’ll leave you in the capable hands of a man who is much smarter than me... I’ll leave it with Eugene Bareman, who will handle this for the first time.”
UFC 293 LIVE: Israel Adesanya vs Sean Strickland
Here’s an aggregate scorecard on the Verdict MMA app, with users worldwide having their say on the UFC 293 main event:
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