Stranger things have happened, but it’s one of the safest bets in all of MMA that Adesanya vs Strickland isn’t going to be a Brazilian jiu-jitsu or wrestling clinic. Both men have achieved their status among the greatest middleweights in the world by damage they inflict with their feet or their four-ounce gloves. At the risk of oversimplifying this particular bout, you might describe it as a clash of quality vs quantity.
How To Watch UFC 293: Adesanya vs Strickland
Whether it’s the fight-altering head strikes, the heat-seeking body shots, or the lethal leg kicks, when Israel Adesanya throws, he throws with precision. The Last Stylebender currently is third all-time among middleweights when it comes to significant strikes, connecting a total of 976 times. Still only 34 years old, it’s not hard to imagine Adesanya owning the record before he decides to hang it up.
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Sean Strickland’s approach when the Octagon door closes relies more on volume. One of the division’s busiest strikers, he currently owns the third highest rate of significant strikes among UFC middleweights (6.19 per minute), with more than 80% of those shots aimed at the head. That level of output usually leaves his opponents playing catch-up, as he averages a strike differential of 1.87 per minute. Using such an attack has not only frustrated his opponents, but left him in possession of several division records. His significant strike totals against Uriah Hall (186), Jack Hermansson (153) and Jared Cannonier (152) were good enough for 2nd, 6th and 8th all time among middleweights, respectively.
