‘He can get it’… Sean Strickland reveals his interest in middleweight showdown with Robert Whittaker

Sean Strickland welcomes a collision with Robert Whittaker

On June 1, Sean Strickland returned to winning ways, picking up a split decision victory over Paulo Costa, to propel himself back into the title picture.

Currently ranked as the number one contender in the middleweight division, the 33-year-old has claimed on more than one occasion that he intends to wait to fight the winner of Dricus Du Plessis vs Israel Adesanya, rather than taking on anyone else in the interim.

However, pressure started mounting for the controversial star to step up to the plate when Robert Whittaker produced a mesmeric display of mixed martial arts against Ikram Aliskerov.

Showcasing thunderous power, the Australian landed a devastating right hand before following up with a brutal uppercut to render his opponent unconscious in one of the most outstanding performances of his entire career.

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Unsurprisingly, the victory generated enormous hype, with many coming to the conclusion that Whittaker and Strickland ought to battle it out, to put who deserves the next opportunity at the belt beyond doubt.

However, ‘Tarzan’ is adamantly against that idea, claiming he’s the only man worthy of a shot at the throne, recently tweeting: “The thought that Whittaker gets a title shot before me is f***ing wild. Bro, you’re 0-3 [against du Plessis and Adesanya], with a stoppage. I beat both those c**ts.

“Do rankings matter? Do the right thing UFC.”

He later confessed that he’d be up for giving the MMA community the fight they desire between himself and ‘Bobby Knuckles’, but only under the circumstance that it be in a defense of the title he intends to win in the not-so-distant future.

Strickland tweeted: “He can get it after I win my belt back.”

However, while he clearly has a mission on his mind, the Anaheim native revealed he’s concerned that the shot at gold he so desperately craves, could very well go to ‘The Reaper’.

Sean Strickland reveals why Robert Whittaker might get the next UFC middleweight title fight

Throughout his career, Strickland has proven his credentials in the cage, creating viral clips, with his tremendous skill set.

For example, the moment he dropped Adesanya spread around the internet like wildfire. In addition, with palpable charisma, the Californian has emerged as a natural on the mic.

However, as talented as he is in this department, his comments have proved controversial. With such divisive opinions, Strickland has gained an enormous following, with many agreeing with his views, but equally, some members of the public have taken offense to the things he’s said.

And according to the man himself, this could play a pivotal role in the sort of opportunities he gets in the future, recently referring to this as a potential reason why Whittaker may get to fight the Du Plessis-Adesanya winner over him.

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