Upset Of The Year – LowKick MMA Awards 2023

Our solely unanimous class throughout the employees this yr at LowKick MMA comes within the type of the ‘Upset of the 12 months’ award — with every member of employees nomination, within the type of newly-minted undisputed middleweight champion, Sean Strickland’s beautiful unanimous choice shutout win over Israel Adesanya at UFC 293 again in September.

Touchdown his second award from LowKick MMA this yr, outspoken middleweight kingpin, Strickland additionally netted our ‘Fighter of the 12 months’ accolade — beating out fellow champions, Leon Edwards, and Islam Makhachev, in addition to incoming foe, Dricus du Plessis to the award.

And following his spectacular choice win over Metropolis Kickboxing star and monumental betting favourite, Adesanya again in September in Oceania, Strickland has been unanimously voted as having landed the ‘Upset of the 12 months’ within the LowKick MMA 2023 awards.

Upset of the 12 months – Israel Adesanya (c) vs. Sean Strickland – UFC 293 – (9 votes)

Judged to don’t have anything greater than a puncher’s likelihood towards a much more seasoned and dynamic putting veteran as two-time middleweight pacesetter, Adesanya in there UFC 293 title collision — following Julianna Peña’s beautiful upset over Amanda Nunes two years in the past, Strickland turned in a victory to rival such an upset success.

Using a streak of two straight wins over European abilities, Nassourdine Imavov, after which Abusupiyan Magomedov into an impromptu title combat with Nigerian-Kiwi striker, Adesanya, it proved right-place-right-time for Strickland — who changed an injury-stricken du Plessis within the middleweight title body.

And travelling to Sydney, Australia to tackle Adesanya — Strickland’s involvement within the UFC 293 headliner was briefly thrown into jeopardy, after participating in a bodily altercation with an Australian fan throughout combat week while travelling the nation together with his girlfriend.

Come combat night time, a lazar-focused Strickland allowed Adesanya zero area and time to setup any actual important offense, displaying early of issues to come back all through their 5 spherical headliner ‘Down Underneath’ — discovering the previous’s chin with an enormous straight proper, and dropping him to his knees, virtually leading to what would’ve come as a surprising upset end.

Pushing the tempo towards an all-out-of-ideas Adesanya for the rest of the bout, Strickland landed the undisputed middleweight crown — in what’s going to go down as one of the surprising upset victories within the antiquity of the Octagon.