Dustin Poirier and Jorge Masvidal have publicly acknowledged Sean Strickland's high-level wrestling abilities ahead of his fight with Chimaev. Poirier stated that good wrestlers he knows who have trained with Strickland confirm he is very strong and difficult to hold down in grappling exchanges. Masvidal added that while Chimaev represents a different level from Strickland's previous opponents, Strickland has handled those closer to Chimaev's caliber well. Masvidal personally witnessed Strickland training with heavyweights and emphasized how difficult it is to keep him on the ground. Both fighters agree Strickland's defensive wrestling and ability to get back to his feet are elite-level skills.
