Chael Sonnen reached out to Sean Strickland instantly after Khamzat Chimaev’s eye-opening victory at UFC 308.
Chimaev ran over former middleweight champion Robert Whittaker within the co-main occasion of this previous Saturday’s UFC pay-per-view card. Talking with Daniel Cormier, Sonnen learn a textual content he obtained from Strickland within the aftermath of Chimaev’s unbelievable efficiency.
“‘How locked in have been you, Sean?’ And that is what I requested him, and I’m going to make this public, you’ll make me look good should you give me a quote you didn’t give anyone else,’” Sonnen mentioned on Good Man / Dangerous Man. “Right here’s, ultimately, what he mentioned:
“And I quote, ‘I’m subsequent in line. It has been mentioned, it has been written’ — I want he would’ve elaborated on that. ‘After I beat Dricus up, Chimaev can step up. And to the purpose that Chimaev is a contender, I welcome that, however I’ve Dricus subsequent. The person who scammed his [fans], turned pals with a dictator and needed to flee his homeland whereas staying on the run must tighten his personal leash up a bit of bit. Hey Chimaev, sit down and wait your flip.”
Dana White has repeatedly mentioned that Strickland can be subsequent for du Plessis. In January at UFC 297, du Plessis captured the middleweight title in a really shut determination win. Du Plessis went on to cease Israel Adesanya in his first title protection at UFC 305 in August, whereas Strickland defeated Paulo Costa in a five-rounder at UFC 302 in June.
With Chimaev’s win, it could be one hundred pc comprehensible if White and the UFC switched gears.
“His second win over [former] world champions in as many fights, and oh, by the best way, from two totally different weight courses in Kamaru Usman and Robert Whittaker,” Sonnen mentioned. “Sure, that is wonderful stuff, however to my understanding, Sean Strickland is subsequent.”
