Sean Strickland

Eric Nixick, coach of former UFC middleweight champion Sean Strickland, revealed in which round his charge will knockout Paulo Costa.

"I think Shawn will be able to finish Costa by the fourth or fifth round. It's going to be a five-round fight and I feel like that definitely benefits us in terms of toughness and the pressure and pace that Sean can maintain. We've seen what Strickland can do at five-round distance - he's gassing all the time, he's in front of you all the time. So five-round fights are to our advantage," - quotes Eric Nixick portal Sportskeeda.

Recall, the confrontation between Strickland and Costa will take place on June 2 in Newark, USA.

The coach of former UFC middleweight champion Sean Strickland, Eric Nixick, said the promotion's matchmakers were hoping to set up a fight between his charge and Khamzat Chimaev.

"I know that the UFC wanted to put Shawn together with Chimaev. But I'm not sure if Shawn has the opportunity to go to Saudi Arabia. But I know that Hamzat's name has been discussed as a possible opponent. Chimaev is a big star in Saudi Arabia. And here it was the venue itself that mattered more than the name of the opponent for Hamzat," Sportskeeda quoted Nixik as saying.

Recall that Strickland will share the octagon with Paulo Costa on June 1 at UFC 302 in Newark, USA. As for Chimaev, he will fight Robert Whittaker in the main event of the debut show in Saudi Arabia on June 22.

UFC lightweight champion Alesandre Pantoja reacted to criticism of former middleweight titleholder Sean Strickland. Earlier, the latter compared bouts in the 56.7kg category to "little kitten fights".

"The fighters at the lightest weight are working hard as hell too. It's nonsense that people say such things. You don't have to talk that kind of nonsense. You want me to be out of work, out of money? Don't say shit like that.

I'm pissed at Strickland for what he said about the lightweight division and women. Shut your mouth! Start respecting what we do. This is what I do for a living. In the lightweight division, everybody respects each other, we've all been through a lot," MMA Mania quoted the Brazilian as saying.

Former UFC middleweight champion Shawn Strickland criticized people who display flags of other countries on the street while living in the United States.

Former UFC bantamweight title challenger Anthony Smith said that the promotion's former middleweight champion Shawn Strickland has impressed him a lot in their joint workouts.