Dustin Poirier and Jorge Masvidal have publicly discussed Sean Strickland's wrestling capabilities, which they describe as being at a high level. Poirier stated that he knows several good wrestlers who train with Strickland and confirmed he is very strong, difficult to hold down in the ground game, and skilled at getting back to his feet. Masvidal acknowledged that while Chimaev represents a completely different level compared to Strickland's previous opponents, Strickland has performed well against those closer to Chimaev's caliber. Masvidal personally witnessed Strickland drilling techniques with heavyweights and noted how difficult it is to keep him on the ground, both in training and in actual fights.
Two respected veterans have gone on record to vouch for Sean Strickland's wrestling ability, with Dustin Poirier and Jorge Masvidal both offering detailed assessments of the middleweight champion's ground game credentials.
Strickland, 35, holds a 31-7-0 record and currently reigns as middleweight champion out of Xtreme Couture. Standing six-foot-one with a 76-inch reach, he is widely recognized as a high-volume striker, averaging 6.04 significant strikes per minute. What is less discussed publicly is his wrestling, and that is precisely what drew comment from two of the sport's more credible voices.
Poirier, the 37-year-old American Top Team product who carries a 30-10-0 record at lightweight, said he has direct knowledge of Strickland's grappling through mutual training partners. Poirier described Strickland as physically strong, extremely difficult to hold on the canvas, and consistently effective at returning to his feet. Poirier himself averages 1.15 takedowns per 15 minutes and has logged 1.2 submission attempts per 15 minutes across his career, giving his opinion on wrestling some grounded perspective.
Masvidal, also out of American Top Team, brings a 35-17-0 record and 41 years of lived experience inside combat sports. He went further than secondhand testimony, noting that he personally watched Strickland drill with heavyweights and found it genuinely difficult to keep him grounded, in both training sessions and actual competition. Masvidal acknowledged that Khamzat Chimaev represents a step up in wrestling quality compared to anyone Strickland has previously faced, but added that Strickland has handled opponents closer to that caliber with notable success.
Why it matters
- Strickland's wrestling has rarely been the focus of pre-fight analysis, making these public assessments significant framing ahead of any potential matchup with Chimaev
- Both Poirier and Masvidal have firsthand training exposure, lending credibility beyond outside observation
- If Chimaev pursues a grappling-heavy game plan, Strickland's ability to get back to his feet could prove to be the central tactical question
