Israel Adesanya says defeat to Sean Strickland ‘felt like a bad dream’ as he credits new UFC middleweight champion for ‘perfect game plan’

• Sean Strickland beat Isreal Adesanya by unanimous decision at UFC 293 
• The American pulled off one of the biggest upsets in UFC history 
• All three judges scored it 49-46 for the American in a comfortable victory

Israel Adesanya has opened up on losing the middleweight title to Sean Strickland at UFC 293, saying the whole fight felt like a ‘bad dream’.

Strickland stunned the MMA world by pulling off one of the biggest upsets in UFC history as he took Adesanya’s middleweight crown via unanimous decision.

All three judges scored it 49-46 for the American, who dropped Adesanya in the first round.

Reflecting on the fight on his YouTube channel, Adesanya said it was ‘like a bad dream’.

‘One of those where you, not even a nightmare,’ he continued. ‘A nightmare is like, ‘Oh s***. F***.’ A nightmare, you’re scared. 

Israel Adesanya says that his shocking defeat to Sean Strickland felt like a bad dream

‘I was just like, you try to hit the guy, and it just felt like noodle arms. Like, ‘What the f***.’ It just felt like a bad dream.

‘Feeling it and watching it were completely different. I called Eugene (Bareman) right after and we talked and the same thing. We’re quietly confident.’

‘I just wasn’t able to get my rhythm because of his pressure,’ Adesanya said.  

‘He was right there constantly. Whenever I was setting him up, because he was right there, his coach would help him out, and I would be like, ‘Fuck.’

‘Good game plan from them, but also for me, I wasn’t able to adjust on the fly. 

‘It was his night. I was his night and yeah, he got it done. I made another dream come true.’ 

The American pulled off one of the biggest upsets in UFC history and did so convincingly 

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