This is a high stakes middleweight fight. There are only two guys who get to fight for the title, and there is only one challenger! The winner of this fight will be one step closer and could be next for the title and a chance to change their life! The other will be further away from the title than they are now.

Regardless of the personalities or the style matchups – these top of the division matchups are always intriguing because it gets so narrow at the top of the division. It is so hard to get into the top 5, it is harder to stay there – then actually winning the title!? It is a really tough road. And these fights are a major step in that journey.

But this fight itself is fun! This fight could be considered a pretty classic striker vs grappler matchup. But there is more to this fight, from a technical perspective, than that.

Strickland is very much a volume and pressure fighter. Most of his fights are won with volume on the feet, but I would argue his better weapon is his pace and pressure, more than just his striking. Sean is a well-rounded fighter! He has displayed a full game in the octagon, including in his last fight against Uriah Hall.

Hermansson on the other hand, is very much a grappler, he wins most of his fights with his grappling and top pressure. He has a checkered record, but his two most recent losses are against two of the best guys in the division. Anyone with the grappling ability of Hermansson is dangerous. He is the type of fighter that can cancel out a hype train who likes to keep it standing, so Seans “well-rounded” game is going to be tested.

Hermansson is a perfect litmus test, or “gatekeeper” for the top of the middleweight division. We will have a good idea of what we have in Sean Strickland after this fight.

Hermansson doesn’t get enough credit as a fun personality in the sport. But if there was a “A side” in this fight night main event, it would be Sean Strickland. People are intrigued by this guy. He is pretty whacky, which could make for an interesting build up if he can earn that shot against Izzy (Or Bobby Knuckles?). So that is something else to consider in this matchup.

if you do not know, now you do know