Dana White isn’t convinced Sean Strickland’s calmer post-fight demeanor at UFC 328 signals a permanent change, even after the American reclaimed UFC gold in Newark, N.J.
Strickland regained the UFC middleweight title this past Saturday with a split decision win over Khamzat Chimaev at UFC 328, adding another championship upset to his resume after previously defeating Israel Adesanya.
White said he noticed a different side of the new champion in the aftermath, but quickly tempered any talk of a long-term shift. “I highly doubt that we have a new and improved Sean Strickland,” White said. “I’ll believe it when I see it but I’m not buying it.”
The UFC CEO pointed to the emotional stakes of the matchup and the damage Strickland absorbed as possible factors in how he carried himself after the fight. “Going through what they both went through leading up to this fight, I think that night, all of the emotion comes out after the win — and, yes, he broke his nose in the first round,” White said. “I don’t know how long that will last.”
Still, White made it clear he would welcome a sustained shift from the outspoken middleweight champion. “If that’s where he’s headed now, nobody’s happier than me. I promise you that. But I’m not buying it.”
