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

Topless Tyson Fury tries to get Francis Ngannou to take shirt off

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

• Sean Strickland outpoints Israel Adesanya in one of UFC’s biggest upsets ever
• American drops Adesanya in first round but fails to find finish
• Strickland wins 49-46 on all three scorecards to end Adesanya’s second title reign
• Adesanya’s coach reveals strange request after shock loss to Strickland
• Two fighters apologise for using homophobic slurs at UFC 293
• Alexander Volkov def. Tai Tuivasa via second-round submission (Ezekiel choke, 4:37)
• Manel Kape def. Felipe dos Santos via unanimous decision (30-27, 29-28, 29-28)
• Justin Tafa def. Austen Lane via first-round TKO (punches, 1:22)
• Tyson Pedro def. Anton Turkalj via first-round KO (punches, 2:12)

[10 September 2023 01:15 · Alex Pattle]

UFC 293 LIVE

Our live coverage will begin in full at 3am BST, when the UFC 293 main card begins.

Until then, we’ve got you covered with build-up.

[9 September 2023 22:00 · Alex Pattle]

UFC 293 LIVE

Israel Adesanya defends his middleweight title against Sean Strickland in the main event of UFC 293 tonight.

Adesanya regained the title in April by knocking out his old kickboxing rival Alex Pereira, five months after the Brazilian took the belt from Adesanya. The Nigerian-New Zealander will look to get his second run as champion off to a good start tonight, as he fights Strickland in Sydney.

While Adesanya, 34, has proven divisive among fans, American Strickland has courted greater controversy in recent years. The 32-year-old claimed in 2021 that he would like to ‘kill’ an opponent in the ring one day, but it has not stopped him from getting the greater share of cheers in Australia this week.

While he will be the apparent fan favourite at UFC 293, Adesanya is the betting favourite, with his counter-striking expected to be too slick for the game but limited Strickland.