Sean Strickland is under fire for his recent brutal sparring footage, where he landed some serious elbows and kicks on influencer Nick Nayersina.
The MMA community heavily criticized Strickland’s actions after the viral video. MMA content creator Nina-Marie Daniele, a good friend of Strickland’s, took this opportunity to mock the former Middleweight champion jokingly.
Nina-Marie Daniele Mocks Sean Strickland for Not Bringing Aggression to Real Fights
According to Full Send MMA, Nick Nayersina allegedly claimed that Strickland backed out of Navy SEAL training, which led him to visit Xtreme Couture gym in Las Vegas to spar with the American fighter.
Strickland, known for his intense sparring sessions, didn’t show mercy and went all out against Nayersina. “Tarzan” landed a few brutal elbows, kicks, and knees, which led the influencer to run away to avoid the strikes.
Strickland shared an Instagram video featuring Nayersina. In it, he revealed that he didn’t know the influencer but claimed Nayersina had repeatedly asked to spar with him.
In the caption, the former middleweight champion humorously claimed he was playing the role of a fitness coach, thanking the influencer for allowing him to be a guide on his journey. He wrote,
“Thank you, @nicknayersina, for letting me be your guide on this fitness journey. I’ve discovered my passion is helping people reach their goals. Like and subscribe for more health and wellness tips.#fitnessjourney #livelovelaugh.”
Strickland also expressed that he might need to start his own fitness journey, writing, “Also, I think it’s time for me to start my fitness journey. I’m looking like Butterbean.”
View this post on Instagram
This post evoked reactions from several MMA enthusiasts, including Nina-Marie Daniele, who shares a great relationship with the former champion. They are often seen training and hanging out together. He appears in several of Daniele’s YouTube video skits.
Daniele made fun of Strickland with a sarcastic comment. She emphasized that “Tarzan” needs to bring the same intensity he used against the influencer when fighting UFC fighters during real contests.
“We need you to fight UFC fighters with the same aggression you use against influencers,” Daniele commented.
Strickland has been receiving backlash for his hard sparring sessions. Many analysts pointed out that he only does this with individuals with little or no professional training. He did something similar in the viral sparring session with another YouTuber, Sneako.
Recently, Strickland fought for the middleweight title in a rematch against Dricus Du Plessis at UFC 312, where he delivered an underwhelming performance. The South African dominated him, and Strickland lost the fight and the title in a unanimous decision.
There are rumors that he will potentially fight Israel Adesanya in a rematch.