Sean Strickland appreciates having Alex Pereira in his corner for UFC 312.
Strickland (29-6 MMA, 16-6 UFC) challenges middleweight champion Dricus Du Plessis (22-2 MMA, 8-0 UFC) in a title-fight rematch, which headlines the Feb. 8 event at Qudos Bank Arena in Sydney (ESPN+ pay-per-view, ESPN2, ESPN+).
Strickland asked Pereira if he could corner him, and the UFC light heavyweight champion happily obliged.
“He said he’s down,” Strickland told MMA Junkie. “He’s a good dude, man. He’s such a good f*cking dude. He has a tough fight coming up against (Magomed) Ankalaev and if he needs me for that, I’ll be out to help with him. So it kind of goes mutual.”
Less than a month later, Pereira will defend his light heavyweight title against Magomed Ankalaev in the UFC 313 headliner on March 8 at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas. Ankalaev has trained at Xtreme Couture before, but Strickland explains that his bond with Pereira runs deeper.
“He hasn’t done his last two camps here, and it’s kind of hard training with two guys, but Alex has gone out of his way to help me,” Strickland said. “Me and Ankalaev have this mutual respect, and Ankalaev is a great guy, but if Alex needs me after this fight, I’ll be going to Connecticut to give him some work.”
Strickland admires “Poatan’s” journey, which saw him go from poverty to a two-division UFC champion.
“You’ve got to have respect for Alex,” Strickland said. “Where did that f*cking man come from? A f*cking tire shop, dude. He came from literally nothing and has made a life for himself. So as an American, Alex is the kind of American dream. He likes guns. So as an American, you have to have respect for someone with that kind of drive and dedication.”
For more on the card, visit MMA Junkie’s event hub for UFC 312.
