Sean Strickland dethrones Israel Adesanya in huge upset, wins middleweight title

Holly fucking shit Sean Strickland is the FUCKING champion ya’ll 🤯🔥‼️#UFC293 #Strickland #AdesanyaStrickland pic.twitter.com/AXqslXoC1N

— Skrill 🍿 (@boy_skrill) September 10, 2023

VIA ESPN:

Sean Strickland shocked the world on Sunday afternoon in Australia as he dominated Israel Adesanya to become the new UFC middleweight champion. Strickland, who won 49-46 on all three judges’ scorecards, closed as a +500 underdog, the largest title fight upset in UFC middleweight history

“I gave up so many brain cells to the MMA gods every day,” Strickland said in a postfight interview. “This is the first time I’m lost for words.”

Strickland entered the fight with the best strike defense among active middleweights at 62.4%. Unofficially, Strickland defended 65% of Adesanya’s strikes throughout the five rounds and caused Adesanya to land just 24 of 178 head strike attempts, (14%) according to ESPN Stats & Information.