UFC 302 co-headliner achieved a surprise dose of championship glory when he dethroned Israel Adesanya in Sydney, Australia, last September.
The former middleweight kingpin will feature in the co-main event of this weekend's pay-per-view card in Newark, New Jersey, where he's tasked with getting the better of fellow contender Paulo Costa.ย
Strickland is in pursuit of a second reign atop the 185-pound mountain following a brief stint there courtesy of his efforts Down Under last year. Off the back of consecutive wins over Nassourdine Imavov and Abus Magomedov, "Tarzan" capitalized on a short-notice chance to challenge Adesanya at UFC 293.
Against the odds and predictions of many, "Tarzan" dropped the then-champ early before putting on a striking masterclass across five rounds. The title win went down as one of the promotion's greatest upsets, and it was enough to net MMA News' Performance of the Year award for 2023.
Ahead of Saturday's event, the promotion has released the full Strickland vs. Adesanya fight from UFC 293 on its official YouTube channel.
Strickland was unable to cement his grip on the crown in his first defense this past January, with Dricus Du Plessis instead ensuring that he'd emerge from UFC 297 in Canada with the title in his possession.
Having had his calls for an immediate rematch dismissed, Strickland must return to winning ways at the expense of "Borrachinha" if he's to earn an opportunity to achieve two-time champ status.