Dan Hardy points out what Sean Strickland brings that most fighters overlook ahead of UFC 328
Sean Strickland returns to the Octagon at UFC 328 in Newark, stepping into one of the toughest matchups of his career. Chimaev and Strickland were training partners before their rivalry developed.
Photo by Jeff Bottari/Zuffa LLC via Getty Images Sean Strickland returns to the Octagon at UFC 328 in Newark, stepping into one of the toughest matchups of his career. Chimaev and Strickland were training partners before their rivalry developed. They’ll now meet with the middleweight title on the line on May 9.
The reigning middleweight champion is unbeaten, and while his approach is well-known, dealing with it inside the cage has proven a difficult puzzle for everyone so far. And while Strickland will be putting a lot of time into wrestling during camp, he’s already got plenty of experience to draw from heading into this bout. Dan Hardy sees Strickland’s experience making a difference after training together Photo by Mike Roach/Zuffa LLC/Zuffa LLC via Getty Images Dan Hardy came away from his time with Sean Strickland at Xtreme Couture in Las Vegas last year feeling like he had gained a new level of respect for him, both as a fighter and as a person.
“There were things about him that I didn’t really know, not being on the inside, but there’s more to him than what people give him credit for,” Hardy told. The former welterweight title challenger knows Khamzat Chimaev will come out fast and aggressive. He thinks Strickland’s experience and understanding of subtle tactics could be key to surviving that early storm.
“He knows all these little tricks – the chins in the temples, the foot stomps, the ways to force opponents to work harder than they want to. ” Hardy pointed out how Strickland often shares these insights with teammates. It’s part of why others have called him one of the best sparring partners around.