Sean Strickland has never lacked confidence, and now the UFC middleweight champion is aiming that confidence at one of the biggest legends in MMA history.
Fresh off his title-winning performance against Khamzat Chimaev at UFC 328, Strickland was asked about a fantasy matchup with former longtime champion Anderson Silva. His answer quickly turned heads.
Strickland believes modern MMA has surpassed past eras
During a recent interview with Nina Drama, Strickland gave a blunt assessment of how he thinks a fight with Silva would play out. He told Nina Drama:
“I’d f*ck him up!”
“I think there’s a big level difference now.”
Silva is widely viewed as one of the greatest fighters the UFC has ever seen. The Brazilian icon defended the middleweight title 10 straight times during his dominant run inside the Octagon.
Even with Silva’s legendary résumé, Strickland argued that the sport has evolved too much over the years.
“If you could take Anderson Silva and bring him into modern time, you know what I’m saying?”
Strickland points to evolution of the sport
Strickland explained that every era of MMA builds on the previous generation, making today’s fighters more complete than ever before.
“Every generation gets better and better and better.”
“So it’s kind of one of those hard fights to say, ‘Would I beat this guy up?’ Well, yeah, like naturally the sport is getting better.”
The outspoken champion has continued building momentum during his recent run at middleweight. Along with defeating Chimaev for the belt, Strickland has picked up wins over Israel Adesanya, Nassourdine Imavov, Brendan Allen, Paulo Costa, and Anthony Hernandez.
Silva’s legacy still stands among the greatest
While Strickland believes he would defeat a prime Silva, the former champion’s place in UFC history remains untouchable for many fans.
Silva’s title reign helped define the middleweight division during his peak years, with highlight-reel finishes and dominant performances turning him into one of the sport’s biggest stars.
Strickland, meanwhile, continues carving out his own legacy with a pressure-heavy style and a willingness to challenge anyone in the division.