Step into UFC 312’s main event, where Sean Strickland’s path to middleweight redemption transformed into a five-round war of attrition against the ever-advancing Dricus Du Plessis. The usually sharp-tongued American found his verbal warfare replaced by the harsh reality of Du Plessis’s pressure, as the South African methodically dismantled his defenses. With blood trickling oozing from his shattered nose, Strickland’s lackluster Philly Shell punching gave way to Du Plessis bringing in the heat while his coach Eric Nicksick’s increasingly urgent commands echoed through the arena.
Gone was the brash confidence that carried Strickland through his title-winning performance at UFC 293. And in its place stood a fighter grappling with the crushing weight of redemption, as Du Plessis’s raised hand at the final bell wrote another chapter in the middleweight division’s storied history.
In the aftermath, ‘Tarzan’ has faced heavy criticism for his performance. Despite battling through a broken nose, many analysts and former fighters—ranging from Din Thomas to Luke Rockhold—have voiced their disappointment. But does he truly deserve such harsh scrutiny? After all, both fighters put everything on the line, and in the end, the better man won. Former UFC double champion Daniel Cormier seems to think so.
Weighing in on his YouTube channel, DC defended Strickland’s effort, acknowledging that sometimes, things simply don’t go as planned in a fight. “I didn’t really agree. I thought that he really just got outclassed in that fight. Sometimes you’re in there, and things don’t work the way you expect. Now, it was surprising for me to hear criticism from Luke and Din—Luke in particular. Because Mike Perry hit him in the face, broke his teeth, and he stopped.”
But what did Thomas and Rockhold say to warrant a sharp reply from Cormier? After the UFC 312 main event, the ringside analyst lambasted Strickland and stated, “We just have to admit it now. We have to admit it: Sean Strickland is not who he says he is. He’s not the guy who’s going to go to the death! To the death! He didn’t go to the death. He didn’t even go deep. I’m not saying he’s not a great fighter. I’m not saying he doesn’t deserve to be where he’s at. But he’s not who he says he is. We’ve got to admit that.”
Meanwhile, the former middleweight champ had his share of criticism for ‘Tarzan’. He appeared on the Ariel Helwani show and stated, “We all watched the fight. We all heard this guy talk, ‘To the death, Dutchman, to the death. This mother—ker talks such a big game, and then he b—hes out and basically quits in the fight after he breaks his nose. What are you worried about? The world title is on the line. That’s all you want, that’s all you’ve dreamed of, and you’re more worried about fixing your f–king nose than winning and biting down on your mouthpiece and doing what you’ve got to do? I mean, it shows your true character.”
Cormier’s verbal jab at Rockhold stemmed from his BKFC 41 bout against Mike Perry in 2023. Perry shattered Rockhold’s front teeth in that brutal matchup, forcing referee Dan Miragliotta to step in. However, what stood out was that Rockhold himself signaled that he couldn’t continue—essentially quitting on his terms. Sounds ironic right?
However, Strickland’s coach, Eric Nicksick also didn’t hold back in his assessment of Strickland’s performance, calling it “uninspiring” and even questioning whether his fighter should continue competing. Having trained multiple world champions, Nicksick had high expectations for the 33-year-old and was disappointed by what he saw at UFC 312.
However, ‘Tarzan’ wasn’t too pleased with his coach’s remarks. Strickland recently took to social media to share a video addressing the situation, making it clear how he felt about Nicksick’s criticism.
Sean Strickland might never work with Eric Nicksick after his verbal jabs
Sean Strickland has hinted that his longtime coach, Eric Nicksick, may no longer be in his corner following UFC 312. After suffering a lopsided decision loss in his middleweight title rematch, Strickland not only faced criticism from fans but also from Nicksick himself. The defeat sparked tension, with his coach openly questioning his performance, leading the American to suggest that their partnership might be coming to an end.
‘Tarzan’ felt the coach’s decision to criticize him publicly rather than personally was unnecessary, and it needed a response from him. He took to his Instagram and shared a video where he pointed out that he will always remain friends with Nicksick. However, their professional relationship might just end from now on!
He said, “I like Eric. He’s a friend of mine. He’s going to continue to be a friend of mine. Will he probably be in my corner? Probably not. We have so many great guys at Xtreme… We have so many savages that can corner me. But that entire fight camp was just a struggle. It was a f—— struggle, and we all have excuses as to why we didn’t win, or why we won, or we shouldn’t have won. We all f—— have excuses, and they don’t f—– matter. The only reason I’m making this video is because Eric had to go do a f—— podcast and become an influencer.”
Strickland also pushed back against his coach’s suggestion that he was only fighting for the paycheck, making it clear that his motivations run deeper than just financial gain. Despite losing the belt, Strickland remains determined to keep fighting and evolving, whether or not Nicksick remains in his corner. Can he make a comeback? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below.
The post “Just Got Outclassed” – Daniel Cormier Defies MMA Legends as Sean Strickland Gets Backing Despite UFC 312 Loss appeared first on EssentiallySports.
