Former UFC middleweight champion Sean Strickland is a veritable star. His wild, unapologetically politically incorrect persona, and proclivity for giving entertaining interviews have made him pretty popular among fans lately. Dethroning Israel Adesanya—the most dominant and, at times, polarizing middleweight champion—in spectacular fashion undoubtedly elevated Strickland’s star power. But just how big of a name he has become might surprise some fans.
A recent list compiled by Andy Hickey ranking the 22 fighters who have headlined UFC main events this decade revealed some unexpected results. Unsurprisingly, Izzy—one of the UFC’s biggest stars and a fighter known for his high activity—topped the list with 11 main event appearances in the 2020s.
However, Strickland’s placement on the list may turn a few heads. In a surprising twist, ‘Izzy’ was followed by ‘Tarzan’ at the number two position. So far, the verbose American has headlined seven UFC main events this decade, and his upcoming UFC 312 title rematch against Dricus Du Plessis this weekend will be his eighth marquee billing.
UFC 312 will be UFC main event #8 for Sean Strickland.
Only Israel Adesanya(11) has headlined more times for the promotion this decade.
Be warned, this list is not easy on the eyes. pic.twitter.com/PZIqtjVzXh
— Andy Hickey MMA (@AndyHickeyMMA) February 3, 2025
This means that Sean Strickland will go past Islam Makhachev this Saturday. The Dagestani lightweight champion has headlined seven main event bouts over the past five years, and since he will almost definitely fight again this year, may well tie Strickland again. It is also worth noting that while Strickland’s tally includes five Fight Night cards, six of Makhachev’s main events were on numbered PPV cards, which hold much more prestige.
But then again, Strickland didn’t really explode in popularity until two years ago after his Adesanya win, and will almost definitely headline more PPV cards if he becomes champion again this weekend.
Why Sean Strickland vs. Dricus Du Plessis 2 is likely to be harder for ‘Tarzan’
Sean Strickland’s first dance of violence with Dricus Du Plessis was very close. In fact, it was the closest fight of either of the two 185fers’ UFC careers so far. After five rounds of striking bonanza, the South African eked out a razor-thin split decision. Many felt that the decision should have gone ‘Tarzan’s way, including UFC CEO Dana White.
But that has beautifully set up their second clash at UFC 312. And the fight looks like an uphill task for Strickland. ‘DDP’s fighting style, of course, is pretty wild and unpredictable. Not to mention ‘DDP’ has a pretty good ground game, which the American totally lacks. But some will say Strickland was able to deal with Du Plessis pretty well in their first fight, why would this time be any different?
Well, because, ‘Tarzan’ himself has a pretty strange, unorthodox, Philly Shell fighting style, which is also pretty hard to figure out. But the simple fact is that Du Plessis is even more unpredictable, and their first fight may have helped the South African figure out Strickland than the other way around.
And understanding your enemy, as Sun Tzu tells us, goes a long way toward victory. What do you think about Sean Strickland’s position in the list and what are your predictions for his UFC 312 title fight?
The post Bested Only by Israel Adesanya, Sean Strickland Set to Eclipse Islam Makhachev & 21 Others as Top Pick for UFC Main Events appeared first on EssentiallySports.