Former UFC middleweight champion Sean Strickland is promised to fight Dricus du Plessis next according to UFC president Dana White, but that all could change if the UFC decides to book light heavyweight champion Alex Pereira instead. If that fight does end up happening, Strickland weighed in on what he thinks should transpire between the two champions.
"As a welterweight that moved up to 185, once you get used to that weight class the thought of going back down sounds miserable,” Strickland told ESPN in a recent interview. “I think Alex should fight him at 205 any day of the week. I think Alex, any day of the week says 205, 100 percent dude. But you know, Alex has a big fight with [Khalil] Rountree. I think that’s a really great fight for Alex.”
Pereira is scheduled to fight Khalil Rountree in October to defend his light heavyweight title. The fight will be the third 205-pound fight for Pereira who used to be the UFC's middleweight champion. Strickland doesn't think returning to middleweight is a good idea for Pereira.
"I remember seeing Alex for his last [middleweight] fight in the back room, and dude — he looked like f—ing death,” Strickland said. “Like when he last [cut to middleweight], I walked to go say hi to him and dude, he just looked like f—ing death. To the point where I’m like 'Man, this ain’t good for you dude. Go up.'"
Live on DAZN: Check your region for PFL and PFL Europe on DAZN. Click here for details.