Former two-division UFC champion Daniel Cormier has criticized the way Sean Strickland's coach, Eric Nicksick, reacted to the fighter's recent defeat.
On February 9, at UFC 312, Strickland lost to Dricus Du Plessis by unanimous decision in a title rematch for the middleweight championship. Disappointed with Strickland's performance, Nicksick said that he wants to train champions, suggesting that Sean needs to rethink his attitude toward MMA and decide whether he is simply making money or reclaiming the championship title.
You might get a guy that comes to the UFC, has a cup of tea, 0-2, and he’s out. So, you don’t just get to coach world champions. I get the thought of what he’s saying, but not everybody gets there. Make that your goal, but I don’t know if publicly you say that. But any great coach will have words for their athlete.
Daniel Cormier on his YouTube channel
In their first matchup at UFC 297 in January 2024, Strickland lost to Du Plessis by split decision. Du Plessis has a record of 23 wins and 2 losses, while Strickland has recorded 29 wins and 7 losses.
