Sean Strickland offers to spar with anyone who comes to his Aussie training session ahead of UFC 293 – and he’s notorious for knocking out EVERYONE who steps in the ring with him
- Strickland calls for sparring partners
- Notorious for beating up civilians during training
- Take on Israel Adesanya at UFC 293 on Sunday
Controversial MMA star Sean Strickland has put out the call for sparring partners in Sydney ahead of his middleweight title fight with Israel Adesanya at UFC 293 this weekend – and he’s fully prepared to beat up any newbies willing to raise their hands.
Strickland, who has revealed he enjoys beating people up at the gym, took to social media on Wednesday morning to see if any locals were getting involved.
“The UFC says I need to do some open workouts tonight at 540,” he wrote on Twitter.
‘If you bring gloves, I will spare you! Just don’t cut me!’
Strickland’s brutal sparring sessions have gone viral online, with a clip from last year showing him knocking an unnamed opponent unconscious with a head kick.
Sean Strickland has welcomed sparring partners ahead of UFC 293 in Sydney
“This was by mutual consent,” Strickland wrote. “Don’t ban me from Instagram….”
The 32-year-old Las Vegas star is one of the most polarizing fighters in the sport and has repeatedly stated that he hopes to kill someone in the Octagon.
On Tuesday, Strickland admitted that he had ‘attacked’ a fan on Sydney’s famous Bondi Beach just hours after landing in Australia.
“At first I thought the man was coming over for a picture,” he said Fox sport.
(Then he said) ‘Izzy wants to get you in trouble.
“Boom, right in the guts,” he said, describing his reaction.
“I had only been in Australia for a day and had already committed a sexual assault.
“If you want to come over to me and open your goddamn mouth, I’ll hit you like I hit someone else.
The UFC star has repeatedly stated that he hopes to kill someone in the Octagon
Adesanya has branded his outspoken rival an ‘idiot’ and hopes to punish him this weekend
Upcut against his stomach. Then I walked away. But when I see the man again, man, no problem … I’ll thank him for not pressing charges.’
Despite that ugly interaction, Strickland gave a positive review of the city during a UFC 293 Embedded vlog.
“So I talk about Australia a lot because it’s kind of weird, you’re all descendants of convicts, and yet you have a really nice city,” Strickland said.
Strickland failed to show up to the first major event of UFC 293 fight week – a Welcome to Country at Barangaroo Reserve – amid speculation that the NSW government doesn’t want him to jeopardize their $16 million spend on MMA.
Adesanya, who is looking to defend his title for the sixth time this weekend, has labeled Strickland an “idiot.”
“Did you see how he struggles?” he told Fox Sports. ‘That is not normal.
“It’s not bloody normal.”