Sean Strickland gives six-word response to wild ice hockey game after UFC legend Georges St-Pierre receives hero’s welcome
Sean Strickland was a huge fan of the crazy, now viral USA vs Canada ice hockey game on Saturday night. The high-stakes encounter in the 4 Nations Face-Off broke the internet after three fights emerged in the opening nine seconds. The first fight happened as soon as the game got underwayTSN Sports And former UFC champion Strickland was a big fanGetty Even before the game had started, the crowd of more than 21,000 were making noise, as Canadian fans booed American players during ‘The Star-Spangled Banner’. The Bell Centre first erupted when UFC legend Georges St-Pierre received a hero’s welcome as he introduced Team Canada before the match in Montreal. It continued when NHL stars, such as J. T. Miller and Colton Parayko, were involved in heated exchanges that wouldn’t have looked out of place in the UFC. One man who certainly knows what it’s like to step foot inside the octagon is Strickland, who lost the chance to become a two-time UFC middleweight champion last weekend. “I love me some hockey fights,” Strickland, 33, wrote on X, reacting to Miller’s fight with Parayko. Matthew Tkachuk of Team USA and Brandon Hagel of the Canada squad were the first to have it out when they dropped their gloves to exchange blows just after the puck dropped. Brady Tkachuk then followed in his brother Matthew’s footsteps by fighting Canada’s Sam Bennett, who plays for the Florida Panthers. New York Rangers forward Miller was the last American to go at it as he squared off with Parayko, who is an alternate captain for the St Louie Blues. Strickland is fresh off a loss to South African Dricus Du Plessis in the main event of UFC 312. The pair rematched in Sydney, Australia, with du Plessis having already defeated Strickland to win the middleweight strap in January 2024. UFC legend St-Pierre introduced his fellow CanadiansTSN Sports Strickland last fought at UFC 312 this month, losing via unanimous decisionAFP Both men traded heavy leather, but du Plessis eventually got the better of Strickland after breaking his nose with a brutal right hand in the fourth round. Blood poured out of Strickland’s nose in the final two rounds and he never really recovered from the devastating blow. The judges scored the contest 50-45, 50-45 and 49-46 as du Plessis claimed the unanimous decision victory. The only real positive about Strickland’s performance was the fact he broke British MMA legend Michael Bisping’s record for the most significant strikes in UFC middleweight history en route to the defeat. After the bout, Strickland revealed his trainer, Eric Nicksick, would ‘probably’ never corner him in a fight again as the American detailed struggles he endured heading into the bout. “I like Eric,” Strickland said. “He’s a friend of mine. He’s going to continue to be a friend of mine. Strickland said his coach Nicksick is unlikely to walk the octagon walk with him againAFP The American admired the men who were involved in the hockey fights “Will he probably be in my corner? Probably not…that entire fight camp was just a struggle. “It was a f****ing 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***ing have excuses, and they don’t f***ing matter.” Strickland also revealed details of a staph infection, as well as getting stem cells to recover from a broken arm ahead of the fight.
Sean Strickland was a huge fan of the crazy, now viral USA vs Canada ice hockey game on Saturday night.
The high-stakes encounter in the 4 Nations Face-Off broke the internet after three fights emerged in the opening nine seconds.
Even before the game had started, the crowd of more than 21,000 were making noise, as Canadian fans booed American players during ‘The Star-Spangled Banner’.
The Bell Centre first erupted when UFC legend Georges St-Pierre received a hero’s welcome as he introduced Team Canada before the match in Montreal.
It continued when NHL stars, such as J. T. Miller and Colton Parayko, were involved in heated exchanges that wouldn’t have looked out of place in the UFC.
One man who certainly knows what it’s like to step foot inside the octagon is Strickland, who lost the chance to become a two-time UFC middleweight champion last weekend.
“I love me some hockey fights,” Strickland, 33, wrote on X, reacting to Miller’s fight with Parayko.
Matthew Tkachuk of Team USA and Brandon Hagel of the Canada squad were the first to have it out when they dropped their gloves to exchange blows just after the puck dropped.
Brady Tkachuk then followed in his brother Matthew’s footsteps by fighting Canada’s Sam Bennett, who plays for the Florida Panthers.
New York Rangers forward Miller was the last American to go at it as he squared off with Parayko, who is an alternate captain for the St Louie Blues.
Strickland is fresh off a loss to South African Dricus Du Plessis in the main event of UFC 312.
The pair rematched in Sydney, Australia, with du Plessis having already defeated Strickland to win the middleweight strap in January 2024.
Both men traded heavy leather, but du Plessis eventually got the better of Strickland after breaking his nose with a brutal right hand in the fourth round.
Blood poured out of Strickland’s nose in the final two rounds and he never really recovered from the devastating blow.
The judges scored the contest 50-45, 50-45 and 49-46 as du Plessis claimed the unanimous decision victory.
The only real positive about Strickland’s performance was the fact he broke British MMA legend Michael Bisping’s record for the most significant strikes in UFC middleweight history en route to the defeat.
After the bout, Strickland revealed his trainer, Eric Nicksick, would ‘probably’ never corner him in a fight again as the American detailed struggles he endured heading into the bout.
“I like Eric,” Strickland said. “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…that entire fight camp was just a struggle.
“It was a f****ing 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***ing have excuses, and they don’t f***ing matter.”
Strickland also revealed details of a staph infection, as well as getting stem cells to recover from a broken arm ahead of the fight.
