Alex Pereira Refuses to Take Credit for Strickland’s Victory Over Adesanya at UFC 293

Sean Strickland was on a six-fight winning streak and on the cusp of title contention when he was brutally knocked out by a surging Alex Pereira at UFC 276 in June 2022. The dominant nature of the KO was enough to earn Pereira a title shot against Israel Adesanya.

Subsequently, “Poatan” went on to win the belt against “The Last Stylebender” at UFC 281 before losing the immediate rematch at UFC 287.

Meanwhile, Strickland suffered a split decision loss against Jared Cannonier in December 2022, only to bounce back and register back-to-back wins and earn a shot at the belt, albeit due to a stroke of luck.

Interestingly, instead of being negatively affected by his loss against Pereira, “Tarzan” was game enough to train with the Brazilian in the subsequent months.

Following Strickland’s upset win over Adesanya at UFC 293, some fans believe his training sessions with Pereira must have played a vital role in his impressive performance. However, “Poatan” has humbly refused to accept any credit and lauded the newly minted middleweight champion for his “unique style.”

“It was totally different because anyone who trains, who fights, knows how it is… That’s why I was so sure he was going to win,” Pereira said in a video uploaded to his YouTube channel. “Another thing, there are so many people saying, ‘Oh, Sean Strickland trained with Pereira, and that’s why he won.’ But hey, let me clarify: I had nothing to do with it, OK? He won on his own. It’s totally his success because he’s such a dedicated guy with a unique style, and he really showed us what he’s got in his fight with Adesanya. So, the credit is all his. I had nothing to do with it despite the days he spent training with me.”