Dustin Poirier and Jorge Masvidal have spoken out about Sean Strickland's wrestling capabilities, confirming that his grappling is at a high level. Poirier stated that good wrestlers he knows who have worked with Strickland say he is very strong and difficult to keep down, with excellent ability to get back to his feet. Masvidal noted that while Chimaev represents a different level than Strickland's previous opponents, Strickland has performed well against those closer to Chimaev's caliber. Masvidal emphasized that holding Strickland down is very difficult, having personally witnessed him training and grappling with heavyweights.
Dustin Poirier and Jorge Masvidal have both gone on record to vouch for middleweight champion Sean Strickland's wrestling ability, offering detailed praise of a dimension of his game that often goes underappreciated.
Poirier, a 37-year-old American Top Team veteran who carries a 30-10 record and has long been one of the lightweight division's elite fighters, said that credible wrestlers he knows who have trained alongside Strickland describe him as extremely strong on the mat and very hard to keep grounded. Poirier highlighted Strickland's ability to return to his feet as a particular strength.
Masvidal, the 41-year-old "Gamebred" who holds a 35-17 record and trains alongside Poirier at American Top Team, added his own perspective. Having personally watched Strickland train and grapple, Masvidal said holding him down is exceptionally difficult. He noted that while Khamzat Chimaev represents a step up in grappling caliber compared to Strickland's recent opponents, Strickland has shown he can handle wrestlers closer to that level. The implication was that Strickland's wrestling defense should not be dismissed heading into that matchup.
Strickland, 35, owns a 31-7 record and holds the UFC middleweight title fighting out of Xtreme Couture. Standing six-foot-one with a 76-inch reach, he is among the division's highest-volume strikers, landing 6.04 significant strikes per minute. His grappling numbers are less prominent in the statistical record, but the testimony from two experienced combat sports veterans suggests his wrestling resistance is a legitimate weapon.
Why it matters
- Strickland's wrestling credentials, confirmed by credible voices, complicate any game plan built around taking him down
- Masvidal's reference to Chimaev signals this commentary is directly relevant to a potential high-stakes middleweight contest
- Both Poirier and Masvidal have American Top Team resources and firsthand grappling exposure, lending weight to their assessments
