Former UFC middleweight champion Sean Strickland kept the gate locked last weekend in Houston with a technical knockout victory over fellow Top 5 contender Anthony Hernandez, proving that “Tarzan” is still a force to be reckoned with at 185 pounds.
Despite his impressive finish over “Fluffy,” the rest of his division — which includes current champion Khamzat Chimaev — remains wholly underwhelmed by Strickland’s performance.
No. 2-ranked Nassourdine Imavov started piling on through social media:
Imavov also called Strickland vs. Chimaev a “waste of time” because “Tarzan” would get “tapped fast.”
“Listen dude, I’ve moved past you,” Strickland fired back in an interview with Full Send MMA. “I’ve beat you, relax. Either you get the belt or I get the belt. Once you get the belt, I’ll take it from you. Once I get the belt, you’ll lose to me.”
Strickland (30-7) defeated Imavov (17-4, 1 NC) by unanimous decision at UFC Vegas 67 roughly three years back. Since then, “Tarzan” is 4-2 with a championship win over Israel Adesanya while “The Sniper” has won five straight, also registering a victory over Adesanya along the way.
So … who’s ready for Strickland vs. Imavov 2?
