UFC veteran Chael Sonnen teased that fans are in for a treat this weekend at UFC 302 when a ‘mad’ Sean Strickland meets a ‘more focused’ Paulo Costa.
Whilst the headlines surrounding UFC 302 in Newark have been decidedly dominated by the lightweight title fight, MMA veteran Chael Sonnen explains why fans should be in for a treat when the ever-entertaining Sean Strickland clashes with Brazilian KO artist Paulo Costa.
- Who is Sean Strickland? Get to know the controversial former UFC Middleweight champion
Chael Sonnen expects fireworks in the UFC 302 co-main event
Speaking with Daniel Cormier via the ESPN MMA YouTube channel, Chael Sonnen predicted that one of the major headlines to come from UFC 302 this weekend will be a potential ‘Fight of the Year’ contender between Paulo Costa and Sean Strickland.
Sonnen explained that whilst UFC fans have witnessed Sean Strickland in all manner of mindsets heading into major fights, there’s a unique air of hostility coming from ‘Tarzan’ ahead of his co-main slot against Costa.
“Sean Strickland sat down with the media yesterday… He was going after the gloves, and he was going after the contract, he was upset about everything, but we’ve never seen an upset Sean Strickland.”
Indeed, ‘Tarzan’ took a few swings at the UFC at the media day interviews on Wednesday, calling out the promotion for both the poor quality of the new gloves, as well as fighter pay for fellow athletes competing in the organization.
“You’ve seen gracious, you’ve seen irritated, you’ve seen culture warrior, but he’s angry. He feels that he should be in there with Dricus du Plessis, he feels like he should have got that opportunity at UFC 300.”
“I’m only sharing that with you [because] we’ve got a different Paulo Costa as well,” teased the former UFC title challenger, sharing that Paulo Costa’s recent move to train directly at the UFC PI can only mean one thing: That he’s taking his preparation far more seriously than before.
“You are going to see a different Paulo Costa and you are going to see an angry Sean Strickland – which I predict is a more dangerous Sean Strickland.
“Whether this is getting all the hype and allure that people thought or not, this is going to be the bludgeoning of the evening – that’s the headline right there, bludgeoning of the evening.”
In a follow-up video shared to his own official YouTube channel, Sonnen added how an ‘angrier’ Strickland and a more ‘focused’ Paulo Costa will result in a potentially roof-raising spectacle when the cage door locks behind them.
“If I was to tell you, that an angry Sean Strickland is going to be a more dangerous Sean Strickland and a more focused, a newly dedicated Paulo Costa is to be the most dangerous of his career, you have a bludgeoning to look forward to…
“You have one, potentially, for the ages.”
Strickland expects to be back in title contention after UFC 302
Sonnen is correct in his assessment of Strickland’s frustration with the current situation around the top of the middleweight tree, with the brash American lamenting the fact that he hadn’t been offered an immediate rematch against Dricus du Plessis.
In conversation with the UFC media team, Strickland reiterated that he has just one goal in mind moving forward: Earning a chance to wrestle back control of the 185lb title.
“At the end of the day, I know I won my last fight. I got f*****… I mean, obviously, I want the title fight, but, at the end of the day, I’m a fighter. I’m a prize fighter. So, you give me money, I fight, but that’s what I want. That needs to happen.”
Yet if Strickland is to earn a rematch against the South African, potentially skipping over Israel Adesanya to get that next shot in the process; he’ll need a statement win over Costa this weekend.
“I think we’re in [for] a war,” Strickland teased, adding, “I think it’s going to be a five-round war” right from the opening bell to the final seconds of the fight.
“We’ll see how his cardio holds up. I know he has an issue with that. Hopefully, he f***** trained hard and he’s doing the right things and preparing for our death match.”
Paulo Costa vs Sean Strickland is set for the co-main event of UFC 302 this weekend, scheduled to go down on Saturday, June 1 from the Prudential Center in Newark, New Jersey.