Tyron Woodley believes Sean Strickland effectively played his role for UFC 328, even if the pre-fight buildup appeared to be a mix of genuine animosity and staged drama. In an exclusive interview, the former UFC welterweight champion suggested that Strickland’s consistent confrontational style made his trash talk resonate differently, and that the event still generated enough excitement and buzz to be a success.
Tyron Woodley on Sean Strickland after UFC 328: “He’s almost become uncancellable”
Woodley’s assessment of Strickland was direct. “Strickland is Strickland. He has become a highly memeable figure. He craves attention, and he let himself go a bit. He’s a somewhat unfiltered personality in the sport, allowing him to say things like that, especially since he’s virtually become uncancellable due to his constant stream of outlandish remarks,” he stated in an exclusive interview with LowKick MMA, facilitated by NewBettingSites.uk. He further elaborated that fans don’t react to Strickland’s controversial statements with the same shock as they would to a fighter who rarely steps out of line and then suddenly does so.
Woodley felt the pre-fight narrative benefited the event. “You anticipate it, and you don’t hold him to the same standard as someone who never says anything inappropriate and then abruptly makes a wild comment. So, I believe he did what was expected of him. And if it’s compelling enough, we’ll overlook the fact that they trained together and were laughing. As long as the rivalry is fun and entertaining, that’s what counts. I think they made it fun and entertaining. They did what they needed to do for the fight,” he said. The core of his argument is that the storyline was effective because it kept the audience engaged.
Former UFC Champion on Sean Strickland after UFC 328: “He likes attention”
The UFC 328 main event concluded with Sean Strickland defeating Khamzat Chimaev via split decision, reclaiming the middleweight title in Newark. Strickland secured the victory on two scorecards at 48-47, while Chimaev won the third by the same margin. The pre-fight animosity was palpable and spilled into public view. The bout was preceded by offensive and racially charged comments from Strickland, and live coverage highlighted a tense press conference and an earlier incident where Chimaev threw a kick during fight week. Despite the tension, the fight itself ended with a display of mutual respect, as Chimaev draped the belt over Strickland’s waist after the decision was announced.
The narrative succeeded because both fighters understood how to amplify fight week drama. Strickland has long used provocation to sell fights, and this instance reached a point where even the perceived animosity seemed like a performance to some observers. Woodley’s perspective is that the authenticity of every aspect didn’t matter, as the end result was both entertaining and memorable.
