Curtis Blaydes shares prediction for Sean Strickland vs. Jared Cannonier clash

Sean Strickland is set to return to the octagon for the first time since his knockout loss to Alex Pereira when he faces Jared Cannonier later this year and Curtis Blaydes has given his prediction on how he expects the clash to play out.

Rumors are circulating which have linked 'Razor' to a potential heavyweight brawl against the divisional debut of Jon Jones and world champion Francis Ngannou. The two stars are reportedly set to fight each other next year, but the grappler has been handpicked to replace one should they not be able to compete.

During a recent interview, Curtis Blaydes insisted that he's picking raw power over durability in the middleweight clash between Sean Strickland and Jared Cannonier set to commence on December 17.

"[I think] Cannonier [will win]. He has the power to put Strickland away and Strickland, as we've seen, he doesn't really move a whole lot, he's just coming at you. So if you're gonna walk into Cannonier's overhand, I like Cannonier overhand over Strickland's durability."

Prior to his loss to Alex Pereira at UFC 276, Strickland only had one loss by finish in his then-28-fight career, but the narrative of his style has changed since losing to the Brazilian.

Despite having a respectable wrestling background, the controversial 185er prefers to use his volume striking and forward pressure to overwhelm opponents. He will have to be on top of his game if he wants to break the powerful Jared Cannonier down when the pair step into the octagon in a little over a week's time.

Check out what Curtis Blaydes had to say about the middleweight bout in the video below.

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Sean Strickland vs. Jared Cannonier and the other big fights at UFC Fight Night on Dec. 17

Although it's headlined by Sean Strickland and Jared Cannonier, UFC Fight Night on December 17 has a number of standout fights that fans would likely love to delve into.

Arman Tsarukyan returns to the cage for the first time since his razor-thin loss last time out. He'll face the frightening prospect of Damir Ismagulov, a well-rounded Russian with a 24-1 record.

In a matchup that could easily steal the spotlight on the night, Drew Dober and Bobby Green will meet in a lightweight brawl that has all the potential to be fight-of-the-year. Amir Albazi, Jake Matthews, Said Nurmagomedov, and Bryan Battle, among others, are also competing on the card.