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Sean Strickland is in the best shape of his life ahead of his first title defense against Dricus Du Plessis, as the two are set to headline UFC 297 this weekend.
The pair will do battle for the middleweight championship in what should be an exciting clash of styles.
On several occasions, Strickland has maintained that he is the hardest worker in the UFC. Following the release of new pictures revealing his physical condition ahead this weekend's title fight, it seems that Strickland may very well be correct.
The middleweight champion's shredded physique stunned fans, and his coach was asked about the viral photos during a recent interview with ESPN MMA.
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Eric Nicksick, the head coach of Xtreme Couture MMA, said this:
"I don't think anything has really changed in his training element. I think that just because that last fight [against Adesanya] that last pound and a half was a little difficult for [Sean Strickland] to make that championship weight. It's something that for him, he wanted to be better at. Which I love about our athletes."
He continued:
"In that regard, although the fight [against Adesanya] went very well, I think the weight cut could have gone better and this is why I think you're seeing Sean's physique the way it is right now."
Watch the video below from 2:06:
Sean Strickland previews his UFC 297 clash with Dricus Du Plessis
Sean Strickland will enter his first title defense against Dricus Du Plessis this weekend as a -130 favorite.
Despite entering his previous fight against Israel Adesanya at UFC 293 as the underdog, Strickland believes that his clash with Du Plessis presents a tougher challenge than Adesanya.
'Stillknocks' has trailblazed his way through the middleweight division and currently holds a 6-0 record in the UFC. His stunning upset victory over Robert Whittaker at UFC 290 earned him a chance to fight for the belt.
Strickland appeared in front of the media ahead of his title fight with Du Plessis, where he previewed his upcoming bout. He said:
"I think it's gonna be a harder fight that against [Israel Adesanya]. The thing about Dricus is he likes to fight. Is he the best? Probably not, but he goes in there and fights to win."
He continued:
"I'm better than him. I'm a better grappler, I'm better at jiu-jitsu... What are his accolades?"
Listen to Sean Strickland's comments below from 3:20:
