"I was disappointed": Strickland's coach Eric Nicksick opens up after loss

Former UFC middleweight champion Sean Strickland is facing a lot of criticism after a disappointing loss last weekend. Even his own team didn't have much to say about his poor performance, which only made matters worse.

Ahead of UFC 312, Strickland had promised a "war" in the cage, seeking redemption against Dricus Du Plessis, the fighter who stripped him of his title early last year. Returning to the arena where he shocked the world last year by defeating Israel Adesanya was supposed to be a moment that would confirm his dominance. However, instead of repeating his success, the South African was even more convincing, winning by unanimous decision.

Criticism of Strickland's performance

Strickland was criticized for not using his boxing skills enough and not putting pressure on his opponent throughout the five rounds. While many condemned his performance, the harshest words came from his head coach, Eric Nicksick. During an appearance on The Ariel Helwani Show on Tuesday, Nicksick expressed his frustration with Strickland's performance in Sydney.

"I think Strickland needs to think about what he wants to achieve in this sport," Nicksick said. "If he's just in it for the money, let him tell us. I want to train world champions. My motivation is different. Just coming in, doing the fight and not delivering on the promises - that's not inspiring to me," he added.

He also noted that the fight was completely uninspiring for him. "It was like he was asleep. It was tough," he said, clearly expressing his disappointment. The trainer specifically emphasized that the trip to Australia, along with the tension of the title fight, should have been taken seriously. "I take these fights very seriously. I was disappointed," Nicksick concluded.

Strickland's reaction to his trainer's comments is still awaited. It will certainly be interesting to see how both of them will deal with this situation and what will happen behind closed doors, because these kinds of words from a coach, who was with him on the road to the public, will certainly not be easy to bear.