Following his unanimous decision loss to Dricus Du Plessis at UFC 312 in Sydney, Sean Strickland took to Instagram to reflect on the fight and give credit to the reigning middleweight champion.
In his first public statement since the bout, Strickland detailed the significant damage to his nose, which he admitted played a role in the fight’s outcome. He revealed that his nose was broken in six places but remained optimistic about the injury.
“Dricus, f*cking hat’s off,” Strickland said in a video on his Instagram account. “Hell of a fight. Broke my nose in like six places. Silver lining — my nose is so broken it’s easy to reset. That was a new experience.”
Despite previously feeling “robbed” in their first encounter at UFC 297, which Du Plessis won by split decision, Strickland took a more positive approach to this loss. He found satisfaction in pushing through adversity and acknowledged that others face far greater struggles in life.
“I’m good. Losing sucks, but we all lose in life,” Strickland said. “I talk to so many people that lose their job, their girlfriend breaks up with them, and they just find themselves in this hole. I love the misery. I love the suffering because when you’re miserable, when you’re in pain and suffering — the moment that’s gone, and it will end—there will be a new day and a better day. Life’s good.”
