![Ariel Helwani talks about the spat between Sean Strickland (left) and Eric Nicksick (right). [Images courtesy: @ufceurope on Instagram and Getty]](https://staticg.sportskeeda.com/editor/2025/02/9c014-17398431987037-1920.jpg)
![Ariel Helwani talks about the spat between Sean Strickland (left) and Eric Nicksick (right). [Images courtesy: @ufceurope on Instagram and Getty]](data:image/svg+xml;charset=utf-8,%3Csvg%20xmlns='http%3A//www.w3.org/2000/svg'%20xmlns%3Axlink='http%3A//www.w3.org/1999/xlink'%20viewBox='0%200%2010%206.25'%3E%3Cfilter%20id='b'%20%0A%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20color-interpolation-filters='sRGB'%3E%3CfeGaussianBlur%20%0A%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20stdDeviation='.5'%3E%3C/feGaussianBlur%3E%3CfeComponentTransfer%3E%3CfeFuncA%20%0A%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20type='discrete'%20%0A%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20tableValues='1%201'%3E%3C/feFuncA%3E%3C/feComponentTransfer%3E%3C/filter%3E%3Cimage%20%0A%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20filter='url(%23b)'%20x='0'%20y='0'%20height='100%25'%20width='100%25'%20%0A%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20xlink%3Ahref='data:image/jpg;base64,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'%3E%3C/image%3E%3C/svg%3E)
Sean Strickland recently came under fire from Ariel Helwani for taking offense at his coach, Eric Nicksick's remarks regarding his performance in UFC 312. Helwani highlighted Strickland's hypocrisy for being upset with Nicksick's comments, as the former champion frequently expresses his unfiltered views on various polarizing subjects.
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Nicksick made an appearance on The Ariel Helwani Show and chastised Strickland for not listening to his advice during his title bid against Dricus du Plessis at UFC 312, which cost him the fight. The Xtreme Couture head coach's criticism didn't sit well with Strickland, who then hinted that Nicksick will no longer be in his corner going forward.
Helwani has now defended Nicksick and slammed Strickland, saying:
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''The irony that Sean Strickland would get offended or upset that his coach would publicly just say, 'You know what? you heart wasn't into it, and if it won't be into it, maybe we should go our separate ways.' Of all people, that guy got offended, the guy who uses the pre-fight and the post-fight press conference and every other media opportunity to wax poetic on all things that pertain or don't pertain to him... That guy got offended that his coach was on a show, that guy got bothered. Does no one else see the irony?''
Check out Ariel Helwani's comments below:
There will be major changes at Sean Strickland's gym, according to Daniel Cormier
Following Eric Nicksick's criticism of Sean Strickland on The Ariel Helwani Show, Daniel Cormier shared his perspective on the conflict between the two.
In a video Cormier uploaded on his YouTube channel, 'DC' speculated that Strickland's suggestion of Nicksick not being at his corner going forward may lead to some changes at the Xtreme Couture gym. The UFC Hall of Famer said:
''I don’t blame coach Nicksick for what he said... I think any great coach needs to judge their athletes fairly, but very harsh whenever they don’t compete to the ability that you expect them to... I think we’re gonna be seeing more changes coming out of Xtreme Couture... It’s not the coach. So I think Sean needs to be very careful in this sense. And Eric’s a great guy, so it might actually be okay'' [H/t: MMA Mania]
Check out the full video below:
