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Fans empathized with Sean Strickland after Nina-Marie Daniele shared behind-the-scenes footage following his loss at UFC 297.
On Jan. 20, Strickland’s middleweight title reign quickly ended due to a split-decision loss against Dricus du Plessis in the UFC 297 main event. Although the American couldn’t defend his throne, he utilized the championship platform to establish a loyal fanbase.
Shortly after the scorecards were announced, Strickland went backstage and processed the disappointing defeat. The former middleweight champion’s reaction was caught on camera by Daniele, who shared the footage on YouTube as a mini-documentary.
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The YouTube video has generated nearly 500,000 views in a day, with thousands of comments supporting Strickland. Several positive messages from the comment section are listed below:
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“I’m happy to see Sean in such good spirits even after losing. Still the hero we needed, a legend forever.”
“The amount of respect Sean showed at the end of the fight was very honorable. I admire a man who will respect his friends and his foes”
“Sean may not be the champ in his weight group at the moment. But he will always be the people’s champ”
“Sean is Legitimately the people’s champ. He’s the man.”
“How this man carried himself after losing and how humble he was really speaks to his character as a man. We should all be more like sean strickland”
“Nina this video had me in tears , Sean isn’t just a fighter. He’s a reminder of that little kid inside you , he’s so easy to love and the expressions on your face during this loss from the locker room to the hotel really tells the story. Your love for Sean is contagious. Your friendship is so amazing to watch grow and the way he “lost” really hurts. Seans an amazing human and I’ll always be a fan. Thank you for being an amazing friend to my favorite fighter. On too the next.”
Watch Sean Strickland's UFC 297 post-fight reaction and more below:
Chael Sonnen believes Sean Strickland won’t receive an immediate rematch against Dricus du Plessis
Dricus du Plessis called out Israel Adesanya for his first title defense after getting the middleweight strap wrapped around his waist. With that said, it’s unclear what the UFC plans to do next, as Khamzat Chimaev or a rematch with Sean Strickland are also potential options.
During a video posted on his YouTube channel, Chael Sonnen had this to say about what could be next for Du Plessis:
"Look at Strickland and Du Plessis. Looks like there's something there that you guys want. I haven't heard either one call for it. And I know that both are fully aware that the direction the organization is going is Adesanya-du Plessis. Both are fully aware that Chimaev is speaking up and has been promised that opportunity.”
Du Plessis has confirmed he will be ready to fight on April 13 at UFC 300, which needs a main event. Therefore, it’ll be intriguing to see if the UFC books Du Plessis’ first middleweight title defense of that date against Adesanya or another top contender.
Watch Chael Sonnen's YouTube video below:
