Dustin Poirier and Jorge Masvidal both commented on Sean Strickland's wrestling abilities ahead of potential matchups. Poirier stated that good wrestlers he knows who have trained with Strickland confirm he is very strong, skilled at getting up, and difficult to hold down on the mat. Masvidal noted that while Chimaev represents a completely different level than Strickland's previous opponents, Strickland has handled fighters closer to Chimaev's level well. Masvidal emphasized that holding Strickland down is very difficult, having personally witnessed him working techniques with and wrestling heavyweights in training. Both fighters suggest Strickland's grappling is more formidable than many realize.
