Trainer Eric Nicksick has revealed the stumbling block preventing the announcement of a middleweight title fight between Israel Adesanya and Sean Strickland at UFC 293.
Nigerian-born Adesanya regained the 185lb crown from Alex Pereira back in April, but his first contender is yet to be confirmed after a possible September showdown with Dricus Du Plessis was seemingly ruled out.
Adesanya and Du Plessis had a confrontation inside the Octagon after the South African beat former champion Robert Whittaker in July, but the chances of the two men fighting soon appear to be slim, with reports from South African betting sites suggesting Du Plessis will not be ready for September.
That is when the UFC returns to Australia for a pay-per-view event, and the promotion’s matchmaker is looking to headline the card with a middleweight title fight for Adesanya, who fights out of neighbouring New Zealand.
Sean Strickland quickly threw his hat into the ring to challenge Adesanya, and it appears as though he will get his wish, providing one big stumbling block is erased.
“All signs are pointing in a good direction,” Strickland’s trainer, Eric Nicksick, told Submission Radio. “Right now, all he’s working on is getting his visa in order. But the fight… the signs look like it’s a yes. It’s all pointing in a good direction. It hasn’t been official yet, so we’re still in a holding pattern.
“We’re just kind of at the mercy of the visa process, but he said all parties involved are on board. We haven’t talked any logistics as far as numbers go until that visa gets done, and then that would be the next hurdle.
“But I don’t think it would be that difficult of a hurdle to cross… the business kicks in and I think we’ll be good to go.”
