In the co-main event of UFC 302, Sean Strickland returned to the win column with a split-decision victory over Paulo Costa.
It was another massively varying scorecard for a Strickland fight with two of the three judges scoring the fight 49-46 for either fighter and another scoring all five for the former champion to get the win.
The story of the fight was the pressure of Strickland as he backed Costa up for the entire duration, using his jabs and body kicks to wear his opponent down.
“Borrachinha” primarily targeted the legs and body but was unable to land enough to edge out the rounds, which were mostly competitive.
Strickland called for a shot at the title in his post-fight interview, alongside professing his support for Donald Trump who was sat cage side.
Fans React With Mixed Feelings To Sean Strickland’s Co-Main Event Win
Despite the split judging, Strickland got the win this time around unlike his bout with Dricus Du Plessis at UFC 297 in January.
He capped off the fifth round and sealed the deal with a head kick that dropped Costa, following it up with several jumping kicks as he chased his opponent around the cage.
Judge Dave Tirelli scored the fight in favor of Costa having already caused controversy in the first fight of the night after he scored the opening bout for Mitch Raposo.
The mixed reactions to the fight and varying scorecards poured in from the MMA world on social media.
Sean Strickland tried to do the Khabib Eagle kick at the end 😂😭 pic.twitter.com/VYJ8AKOIpM
— 🏊♂️🤍𝓙𝓪𝔂 🩷🏊♂️ (@StunnaXXL) June 2, 2024
most exciting sean strickland performance #UFC302 pic.twitter.com/J1y4braRiJ
— 🐕 (@meekokokrunch) June 2, 2024
Sean Strickland- “WERE GONNA GO TO WAR FOR YOU GUYS”
Yeah right…🤦🏽♂️
— . (@QLubian) June 2, 2024
Stop putting Sean Strickland on the main card! He is boring!
— Johnny Side Quest (@ProfessorGutz) June 2, 2024
https://twitter.com/valorisback/status/1797121240932499921
Sean Strickland the whole fight pic.twitter.com/26xNP7YBlB
— Jawn McCain (@ARizzler917) June 2, 2024
Oh goody, it was another teep and jab clinic from Sean Strickland. https://t.co/BImQMl2kEx
— John (@thesallad13) June 2, 2024
Yeah Sean Strickland won this if the judges give this to Costa they need to be fired im ngl #UFC302
— FloatingMMA (@FloatingMMA) June 2, 2024
Sean Strickland is lowkey the Belal Muhammad of the middleweight division #UFC302
— FloatingMMA (@FloatingMMA) June 2, 2024
Sean Strickland won that fight, I saw it 3-2 but it can be 4-1 Strickland #ufc302
— William (@bklynnetslover) June 2, 2024
Sean Strickland has mastered middleweight by simply having a rhythm to his game. It’s the most basic of rhythms and it never changes, he just fights in a division chock full of idiots
— Omni-Man’s MMA Burner (@zachharknessmma) June 2, 2024
Read More: UFC 302: Islam Makhachev vs. Dustin Poirier Live Results & Highlights
