Not many individuals foresaw Sean Strickland’s shock title win towards Israel Adesanya in Sydney, Australia this previous weekend — and you may add Ian Machado Garry to that checklist.
The Dubliner, who is an ideal 6-0 within the UFC following his complete shutout win towards Neil Magny in Boston final month, had anticipated Adesanya to get the job completed Down Below. As an alternative, after 25-minutes principally dominated by Sean Strickland’s relentless ahead strain, it was the American who had his hand increase to usher in a brand new period at 185-pounds.
And in line with Machado Garry on The MMA Hour this week, Adesanya didn’t look fairly proper within the cage.
“I really feel like Izzy misplaced the battle greater than Sean Strickland received the battle,” Machado Garry advised Ariel Helwani, by way of MMA Fighting. “I really feel like there was a sure level in that battle the place Izzy was afraid to lose greater than he wished to win. That’s primarily meant that his effectivity, his output, his shot choice wasn’t as elite because it usually is and it gave Sean Strickland the chance for his awkwardness to have success, his fixed strain to have success.
“I really feel like for those who run that battle again, there’s no means Sean Strickland will get his hand raised once more. That’s my opinion, however on the finish of the day, Sean Strickland obtained his hand raised and I can by no means shoot a person for reaching his dream.”
Strickland received the battle after establishing his jab early and backing it up with crisp, straight punches — and maybe extra crucially, always staying in his opponent’s face to forestall him from sniping from distance. It was an strategy which appeared to stifle Adesanya’s normally complicated arsenal of strikes. However so far as Machado Garry is anxious, a rematch would have a unique consequence.
“I really feel like if Izzy had the output that he normally does or the effectivity that he normally does [he would have won],” he stated. “I can’t knock Sean for having part of that awkwardness and that lack of effectivity from Izzy. Clearly his awkwardness performed into the battle, however I simply really feel like Izzy wasn’t selecting the photographs he usually would. I believe in the event that they run that again, Izzy dominates.”
