UFC analyst rips Sean Strickland’s UFC 312 performance: ‘He’s not who he says he is’

Sean Strickland's performance in defeat at UFC 312 didn't impress Din Thomas, who didn't hold back in his assessment of Strickland's display.

Thomas, a former coach at American Top Team, is a regular fight analyst for the UFC and ESPN and, during his appearance on the UFC 312 post-fight show, he gave a scathing verdict on Strickland's performance in defeat to middleweight champion Dricus Du Plessis in Sydney.

Dricus Du Plessis retains the UFC middleweight title with a dominant showing over Sean Strickland 💪 #UFC312 pic.twitter.com/Q02fYgnd2E
— SportsCenter (@SportsCenter) February 9, 2025

"Well, we just have to admit it now," he said.

"We have to admit it. Sean Strickland is not who he says he is. He's not who he says he is.

"We want him to be something. He wants to be something, but he's not that guy.

"He's not the guy who's going to go 'to the death, to the death!' He didn't go to the death. He didn't even go to the well, he didn't even go deep.

Two badass motherf****** 😤#UFC312 pic.twitter.com/ryRu1wPj9V
— UFC (@ufc) February 9, 2025

"I'm not saying he's not a great fighter. I'm not saying he doesn't deserve to be where he's at, but he's not who he says he is. We gotta admit that."

Thomas was joined on the panel by former UFC welterweight Alan Jouban and former UFC light heavyweight title challenger Anthony Smith, with the latter suggesting that Strickland's performance was a demonstration of a leopard that couldn't change its spots.

"Sean Strickland is a front runner," said Smith.

"He has to get out front early, he has to start fast, and he has to start putting rounds in the bank because he can't... He's not a guy that can be in second place and start closing the distance. It's not his fault. It's not his style.

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"He doesn't have the one-punch knockout power. He's not a dominant offensive wrestler. He's not a submission guy, and he's just not much of a finisher.

"So, once he loses the first round, I start getting nervous for him. Once he loses the second round, now I'm really nervous. He has to win the third.

"If he doesn't win that first, second, and third round, Sean Strickland can't win, and he's at this point in his career, I don't know that that's something he can change."

Thomas agreed, and gave his perspective as a coach, as he put himself in the shows of Xtreme Couture head coach Eric Nicksick, who was in Strickland's corner on fight night.

"I feel for Eric Nicksick, because I know what that's like, and I don't even want to go and be in that situation again," he said.

"I know I'm hard on Sean Strickland. I know it, but it's because I'm cheated. I feel cheated by you.

"I hear about these gym stories and these wars that you get into. I hear about how great you are. And then you go in these fights, these high-level fights, and you give us that. You cheat us, you jab and you kick, and I know you're capable of much more. We want to see that.

"That's what I want to see from Sean Strickland. I don't want to see him jab his way to losses. I want to see him give me what he's capable of. I want to see the full potential of Sean Strickland."

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