Eric Nicksick insists it’s water under the bridge with Sean Strickland.
Nicksick was pretty vocal with his discontent toward Strickland’s lackluster performance against Dricus Du Plessis in their title-fight rematch at 312, which prompted Strickland (29-7 MMA, 16-7 UFC) to say he doubts Nicksick be in his corner again.
Nicksick doesn’t necessarily regret what he said. The Xtreme Couture head coach explained that he came from a good place when addressing someone who he doesn’t just see as a student, but as a friend. He thinks perhaps he shouldn’t have done it so soon after the loss.
“The timing was wrong on my part, and the wording wasn’t as crystal clear as what I should have gotten out,” Nicksick told MMA Junkie Radio. “Everyone in the gym that knows me, Sean included, knew where my heart was and knew where my head was and the point that I was trying to get across.
“Sean said that to me immediately via text. He was like, ‘Hey man, I know exactly what you mean.’ I saw him in person that same Thursday. We hugged, high-fived. ‘I’m going out snowboarding.’ We had a good conversation. So as far as I’m concerned, everything’s good on our end.”
Nicksick was criticized by a few pundits for his harshness towards Strickland, who gave a much more competitive effort in his first fight with Du Plessis at UFC 297.
“Whether I’m his coach, in his corner, none of that bothers me,” Nicksick said. “What I said was from the heart because I love him and I care about him. I want to see him at his best in the best capacity that we all know Sean. If I lie as a coach, I’m not doing my job. If I feel like we’re missing something, then I’m not doing my job. Should I have said it publicly? You know, maybe I shouldn’t have. I don’t know.”
