“We’ve given this guy a home here” - Sean Strickland's coach emotionally opens up about his pupil's rocky road to UFC stardom

Sean Strickland's shocking victory over Israel Adesanya at UFC 293 has undoubtedly been one of the most unexpected triumphs in recent MMA history. While critics and fans alike had reservations about Strickland's chances, he defied the odds and emerged as the new UFC middleweight champion.

In the aftermath of this stunning win, Eric Nicksick, Strickland's coach, opened up about the fighter's tumultuous journey to UFC stardom.

During a recent interview on The podcast, Nicksick shared his candid insights into Strickland's transformation, not just as a fighter but as a person.

Nicksick spoke emotionally about the profound impact Strickland has had on his team at Extreme Couture and had the following to say:

"This has been one of my crowning achievements, I think, not as a coach, but as a human being, is we've given this guy a home. He comes from a rough upbringing. It's tough to hear those stories, and it's hard for me to make excuses for some of the things that he says and some of the ways that he acts."

Nicksick added:

"But if you really understand him the way that we do, you guys would fight just as hard as we do for him. He's our guy. Everyone in that room loves him. Everyone in that room adores him."

Check out the video below:

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Joe Rogan applauds Sean Strickland's spectacular victory at UFC 293

Renowned UFC commentator and podcast host Joe Rogan didn't hold back in expressing his admiration for Sean Strickland's remarkable victory at UFC 293. Rogan took to Instagram to extend his congratulations to the new middleweight champion.

Rogan shared a photo of himself alongside friends, including Brendan Schaub, Sam Tripoli, Bryan Callen, and producer Jamie Vernon. In the caption, he wrote:

"Fight Companion was a blast! Always good to get to hang out with my brothers @brendanschaub @samtripoli @bryancallen and the producer GOAT @jamievernon! Congrats to @strickland_mma_ for one of the greatest upsets ever and a spectacular performance!"

Check out the post below:

Sean Strickland's dominant victory over Israel Adesanya at UFC 293 not only earned him the middleweight championship but also catapulted him to the #8 spot in the UFC's pound-for-pound rankings. This impressive feat came at the expense of Israel Adesanya, who dropped four places in the rankings.