Bellator welterweight Yaroslav Amosov was filmed in a wrestling session alongside UFC Middleweight champion Sean Strickland. The clip offers a rare look at the two accomplished grapplers training together.
A training video circulating online on July 14 showed Bellator welterweight standout Yaroslav Amosov drilling wrestling alongside UFC Middleweight champion Sean Strickland, offering an uncommon glimpse into a cross-promotional sparring partnership between two of combat sports' most accomplished grapplers.
Strickland, known as "Tarzan," holds a 31-7-0 record and currently reigns as UFC Middleweight champion at 35 years old. The American, who trains out of Xtreme Couture, stands six-foot-one with a 76-inch reach and fights out of an orthodox stance. He averages an impressive 6.04 significant strikes per minute at 42 percent accuracy, while his grappling output sits at 0.71 takedowns per 15 minutes.
Amosov brings a contrasting but equally dangerous skill set to the mat. The 32-year-old Ukrainian holds a remarkable 30-1-0 record as Bellator's welterweight champion and stands six feet tall with a 75-inch reach. His grappling statistics are particularly striking — he averages 4.64 takedowns per 15 minutes and 4.6 submission attempts per 15 minutes, figures that reflect a wrestler-first approach built around relentless pressure and control. His striking accuracy of 47 percent also edges out Strickland's, though his volume is considerably lower.
Why it matters
- Amosov is widely regarded as one of the premier wrestlers in MMA regardless of promotion, making this a notable stylistic pairing on the mat
- Strickland, despite his reputation as a striker, refining his wrestling defense ahead of future title defenses carries obvious value
- The session underscores the growing cross-promotional training relationships that blur the lines between UFC and Bellator talent pools
