Eric Nicksick says Sean Strickland sent DM immediately after open criticism, breaks silence on where they stand now: "The timing was wrong on my part"

Eric Nicksick has reflected on his criticism of Sean Strickland after UFC 312. Strickland failed to reclaim the belt as he lost to UFC middleweight champion Dricus du Plessis in a rematch, producing a lackluster performance.

In an interview with Ariel Helwani following the fight, Nicksick publicly criticized his pupil's performance. The head coach at Xtreme Couture added that he wants to train world champions and that 'Tarzan' needs to be clear on whether he wants to compete for the title or the money.

Strickland responded to the public criticism by saying that perhaps Nicksick will no longer be in his corner. The MMA coach discussed this spat further in a recent interview with MMA Junkie, and admitted that perhaps his timing was off, saying:

"The timing was wrong on my part and the wording wasn’t as crystal clear as what I should have gotten out. Everyone in the gym that knows me, Sean included, knew where my heart was and knew where my head was and the point that I was trying to get across."

He added:

"Sean said that to me immediately via text, he’s like, 'Hey man, I know exactly what you mean.' And I saw him in person that same Thursday. We hugged… Everything is good our end, whether I’m his coach or in his corner. None of that bothers me. What I said was from the heart because I love him and care about him."

Check out Eric Nicksick's comments below (15:31):

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Former UFC middleweight champion eyes fight against Sean Strickland

Sean Strickland is out of title contention after his second loss to current champion Dricus du Plessis, especially considering his flat performance in their rematch. He'll need to return to the win column and put together a streak if he is to re-enter the title mix.

Strickland has now been called out by fellow former champion Robert Whittaker, who finds the polarizing American middleweight's fighting style intriguing. During his appearance on Anthony Smith's On Paper podcast, 'The Reaper' said:

"I think Strickland makes a good argument to have. Because I feel like we've both been in that sort of pond for a while circling each other. I feel like for whatever reason, we haven't been matched up, but we've both been in proximity for a while, and it's most likely the fight to make. I'm excited about that fight. I look at his style and I find it curious. I find it exciting to try to work out. He's a tough dude but I'm really, really proud of my skill set and confident in my skill set."

Check out Robert Whittaker's comments below (1:05:55):