Former two-division UFC champion Daniel Cormier supports Sean Strickland’s claim to a title shot, as rumors that Robert Whittaker may be the next to have that opportunity continue to increase.

Even before his victory last month, Strickland felt wronged by being overlooked by the promotion in favor of Dricus Du Plessis’ first title defense this summer. “Tarzan,” of course, lost the middleweight belt to the South African by a narrow margin at UFC 297 in Canada last January.

He then reluctantly accepted a fight against Paulo Costa, defeating the former title challenger in a lackluster five-round co-main event at UFC 302 in Newark. Immediately after the fight, Strickland made it clear that he would only enter the octagon again for a title fight.

But after Whittaker’s impressive first-round knockout of Ikram Aliskerov in Saudi Arabia, months after his own win over “Borrachinha,” it seems that Strickland has competition...

Cormier Asks: Why Are People ‘So Quick To Discredit’ Strickland?!

During a video recently posted on his YouTube channel, Cormier commented on the major current topics in MMA headlines, including Khamzat Chimaev’s rise in the middleweight title race.

Cormier questioned how Strickland continues to be left out of the discussion about who could fight the winner of Du Plessis vs. Adesanya. Ironically, “DC” initially left Strickland out himself and pointed to the winner of a potential Chimaev vs. Whittaker fight as the next in line.

“Khamzat vs. Robert Whittaker to determine who’s next. You know what, or Sean Strickland,” Cormier said. “I don’t understand how Sean Strickland keeps getting forgotten. He does everything he’s supposed to do. He wins the fights. He was the number one contender. He should not always seem to be put on the backburner.

“He beat Paulo Costa better than Robert Whittaker beat Paulo Costa,” Cormier continued. “Rob goes and has that crazy fight in Saudi Arabia and we immediately start talking about him as the number one contender. What about Sean Strickland? I don’t know why people are so quick to discount this man. We saw it on his rise to the championship, we saw it when he was champion, we saw it when he was coming back. I don’t know why people are so quick to discredit this man.”

Strickland has also criticized the growing narrative that his status as number one contender isn’t a given and that he should fight Whittaker in a title eliminator next.

Known for his tendency to accept any fight the UFC proposes to him, the former champ has been firm in rejecting a possible clash with “The Reaper,” as well as any other match that doesn’t have the 185-pound belt on the line.

The thought that whittaker gets a title shot before me is fucking wild..

Bro you're 0-3…… With a stoppage lol

I beat both those cunts lol….. 

Do rankings matter?! Do the right thing UFC..

— Sean Strickland (@SStricklandMMA) July 9, 2024