Strickland’s Middleweight Title Shot After UFC 305
Sean Strickland’s route back to the UFC middleweight title became clearer after UFC 305: Dricus du Plessis submitted Israel Adesanya in the fourth round, and UFC CEO Dana White said Strickland was likely next in line. That was an indication, not a formally announced booking, and the division’s contenders still mattered.
A title picture reset by UFC 305
Strickland won the championship by upsetting Adesanya at UFC 293 in September 2023, then lost the belt to du Plessis by split decision at UFC 297 in January 2024. He stayed in contention with a split-decision win over Paulo Costa at UFC 302 in June. The UFC 305 result shifted the immediate title discussion toward Strickland.
Du Plessis retained the title by forcing Adesanya to tap to a rear-naked choke in round four. After the event, White told reporters that Strickland was likely to receive the next shot. That public signal undercut speculation that Adesanya might receive an immediate rematch, though White did not present a signed fight agreement.
Why the booking was not settled
Strickland had a recent win and a close title loss to du Plessis, making a rematch easy to justify. But middleweight matchmaking is shaped by timing and availability as well as rankings. Robert Whittaker had recently beaten Ikram Aliskerov, while Khamzat Chimaev was scheduled to face Whittaker at UFC 308. Du Plessis also publicly questioned whether Strickland should be next.
Daniel Cormier’s earlier discussion of the contenders reflected how uncertain the picture was before UFC 305. The event changed the immediate conversation: Adesanya’s loss removed the clearest rematch case, and White’s comments pointed toward Strickland. Until the UFC announced terms and a date, however, the challenger remained a likely choice rather than a confirmed one.
Sources: MMA Fighting on White’s post-UFC 305 comments; Reuters on the title fight result; MMA Fighting on du Plessis’ view of the contenders.
Sources
Tags: MMA
