One of the most striking moments of Sean Strickland 's defeat to Dricus du Plessis in the main event of UFC 312 was the fracture suffered by the American in the fourth round. Days later, the former middleweight champion (up to 83,9 kg) went to social media to show the state of his injuries days after the fight last Saturday (8). In a video published on X (formerly Twitter), the fighter spoke about his impressions regarding the duel and details about the preparation.
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— Sean Strickland (@SStricklandMMA) February 12, 2025
When discussing the training camp , the athlete mentioned some issues previously unknown to the general public, such as stem cell treatment to aid in injury recovery. During the video, the injury to his nose is visible, and although still visible, it appears to be healing well.
“That whole fight camp was tough. That’s not an excuse, but it was all just a struggle of ‘I’m okay’ knowing you’re not okay. I was in Colombia for eight or seven weeks getting stem cells in a broken bone. Again, the bone healed well. It’s not an excuse, but it kind of weighs on your mind… And you keep telling yourself you’re okay,” he stated.
A mark on Sean Strickland 's arm caught the attention of fans before UFC 312. Photo: Reproduction/UFC.
In addition to revealing the fracture, the American also spoke openly about the suspicions of a bacterial infection that gained strength during the week of the fight. He admitted the fact and said that the event also influenced the final phase of preparation for the fight.
“The whole preparation, whether it was the staph infection, the broken arm, having to get a visa, not getting approval until the week, not being able to get the corners there… That whole camp was a struggle. I wasn’t doing well, but I looked in the mirror and said, ‘life goes on’,” he concluded.
Coach criticized Sean Strickland's performance
Sean Strickland is one of the most controversial fighters in the UFC. Photo: Reproduction/Instagram/UFC Brazil
Beyond the physical issue, Sean Strickland is still recovering from a series of psychological wounds. His head coach, Eric Nicksick, heavily criticized his pupil's lack of aggression throughout the fight, as well as complaining about the fighter's lack of technical and tactical variation, as he was dominated by the South African throughout the 25-minute bout. In the same video, the athlete implied that the partnership with the coach seems to be over.
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