Teddy Atlas breaks down how Sean Strickland’s ‘regular’ method vs. Israel Adesanya labored to perfection

Teddy Atlas credit Sean Strickland’s fundamentals for his upset win over Israel Adesanya at UFC 293.

Strickland dethroned middleweight champion Adesanya with a unanimous resolution win this previous Saturday at Qudos Financial institution Enviornment in Sydney. Strickland dropped Adesanya on the finish of Spherical 1 and was in a position to maintain him on the backfoot for almost all of the struggle.

Atlas stated Strickland (28-5 MMA, 15-5 UFC) sticking to the fundamentals was his key to victory.

“All of us knew that clearly Izzy was the extra dynamic expertise right here and a distinct form of striker, virtually one in a millennium,” Atlas stated on the UFC 293 post show. “Virtually makes you concentrate on Anderson Silva, guys like that, with that form of pure means to make his personal music, as I used to be saying yesterday. However this man form of pulled the plug out of the music and actually reduce off the music, and he did it in a easy method, in a standard method, in a primary method. Fundamental is sweet typically. He did it with a jab, he set the desk with the jab, and he ate with the precise hand all evening lengthy.

“And so far as protection, he didn’t neglect about that. That was his offense. Quite simple, not advanced, however environment friendly, efficient. However his protection? Simply stepping out of vary, simply controlling vary, being calm in an un-calm surroundings, and simply getting somewhat out of vary, somewhat bit again in. Not an excessive amount of out, simply sufficient to make him miss after which shut sufficient the place he may come again with that jab and management and dictate. The best factor about him tonight, he was regular. Typically regular is best than flashy, higher than quick, higher than electrical, you understand? No music tonight. It was quiet.”

Adesanya (24-3 MMA, 13-3 UFC) uncharacteristically was unable to get any offense going. Strickland’s demeanor didn’t seem too assured within the lead-up to the struggle however was in cruise management as soon as the struggle began.

“In boxing, in my world, we’d have been saying he (Adesanya) must put the left behind the precise hand,” Atlas continued. “As a result of you’ll be able to block so many, however then should you put sufficient collectively whereas the man’s handcuffed, you will get to him. As a result of when the man’s blocking too many, he’s handcuffed too lengthy, he can’t do nothing, ultimately you get by way of. He didn’t put that further punch collectively, and I’m taking nothing away, clearly, from Strickland, however that helped somewhat bit.

“And one different factor about Strickland, he doesn’t beat himself. There’s one thing to be stated. … However he’s modified. I used to be even saying in my podcast, and I used to be even tweeting it out through the week the place he’s modified. He’s made a transition the place he’s not the caveman no extra. He’s received that membership, however he don’t received the torch no extra. He’s received a flashlight now. He’s made a change, he actually has. When he was performing nuts the opposite day, you understand what I stated? I stated perhaps, simply perhaps, loopy like a fox.”

For extra on the cardboard, go to MMA Junkie’s occasion hub for UFC 293.