Gilbert Burns has recently stepped forward to support fellow fighter Sean Strickland, after the latter’s performance in UFC 312 sparked controversy. Despite his track record – with 29 wins and 7 losses in Mixed Martial Arts (MMA), and a 16 to 7 record within UFC – Strickland came under fire for his underwhelming showing in the recent face-off against Dricus Du Plessis, the current middleweight title holder (with an enviable record of 23 wins and just 2 losses in MMA, and a clean streak in UFC at 9-0). The widely watched match, which took place on Saturday at the Qudos Bank Arena in Sydney, resulted in a unanimous decision in favor of Du Plessis.
Strickland suffered a nose break in the fourth round of the headline event – an injury that may have affected his performance. While it didn’t cause the fight to be stopped, many onlookers criticized Strickland for what they perceived to be a lack of urgency in his approach, given the high profile of the event. However, Burns has defended Strickland, urging fans and critics to recall the latter’s string of significant past victories.
Burns, known for his own success in the UFC, offered this pointed commentary: ‘Observing from the outside, his spirit might have been shaken, but we are not in a position to truly know. Suggesting that an athlete of his caliber talks big and lacks follow-through is a position I can’t support.’
The Brazilian mixed martial artist continued to underscore Strickland’s previous accomplishments: ‘All I’m saying is that we have seen this man back his words with actions time and time again. Strickland’s wins against Nassourdine Imavov, my teammate Brendan Allen and many others bear testament to this.’
Folded into Burns’ comments was a veiled indictment of the way UFC fights – and by extension, fighters – are appraised in the public eye: ‘I sense immense disrespect in these presumptuous reactions. The collective memory seems rather short. These might be the days of TikTok, where perception is driven by the latest swipe, but such shallow perspectives shouldn’t influence our understanding of a fighter’s merit.’
As Gilbert Burns pointed out, it was not long ago that Strickland was a well-regarded champion, taking on every contender who crossed his path. He has taken down many formidable opponents, displaying his prowess and fortitude within the cage.
Burns continued, ‘Despite the dismissive comments, Strickland remains dedicated to his craft. It is disappointing when supposedly fleeting moments of lackluster performance become embedded in the public narrative. Paulo Costa, Israel Adesanya, among others, have fallen to him in the past. He’s consistently sparred with the best, proving his worth numerous times.’
He went on, expressing his own personal admiration for the fighter: ‘While some may call him talkative or dismiss him as erratic, I appreciate his distinctiveness. And regardless of everything else, one thing can’t be overlooked – his authentic hustle in all his fights.’
In the aftermath of UFC 312, Strickland himself shed light on peculiar circumstances that may have impeded his performance. He revealed to fans and the media that he had been battling a staph infection, which was visibly apparent on his arm during the fight week.
Furthermore, Strickland disclosed that he had been nursing a broken arm even before the fight, acquired during a vigorous training camp. These factors could have reasonably affected his ability to perform at full capacity during the match, offering some context to his loss and a potential counter-argument to his critics.
All the speculation and criticism aside, it’s clear that each fight in UFC is a unique event, with numerous variables shaping the outcome. As Burns suggested, the broader context of a fighter’s legacy, rather than a singular event, should be the lens through which performances are evaluated.
It’s people’s nature to have opinions and react swiftly to a singular event, especially in an era primed for fast-paced information consumption and immediate judgments. However, to appreciate the complexity and spectacular diversity of an athlete’s journey, one needs to look beyond a mere moment of perceived weakness.
In the spirit of what Burns expressed, a fighter’s worth cannot be reduced to the outcome of one match. Sean Strickland’s career has been defined by numerous bouts in which he showcased his agility, strength, and strategic aptitude, and one loss doesn’t negate these quality demonstrations by any means.
The story of any athlete or fighter is a mosaic of moments – all of them, wins and losses, combined to create a larger portrait of resilience, strength, and mastery over a craft. In Strickland’s case, the challenging moments are the exception, not the rule, and they only add more hues to his vivid repertory.