LAS VEGAS – UFC CEO Dana White isn’t all that surprised to see Sean Strickland emerge as a fan favorite. Strickland (28-5 MMA, 15-5 UFC) dethroned middleweight champion Israel Adesanya (24-3 MMA, 13-3 UFC) with a stunning upset in this past Saturday’s UFC 293 headliner in Sydney. Strickland has no filter when it comes to his mic time, and his raw honesty has resonated with people. He has produced staggering numbers for the UFC on social media, and White says it’s a product of an unexpected story. “Let me tell you this: So on Instagram, I have 8.3 million followers. Me wrapping the belt on him did 16 million views,” White told MMA Junkie and other reporters following Dana White’s Contender Series 62 at the UFC Apex.
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Dana White on UFC champ Sean Strickland’s rise in popularity: ‘People love an underdog’ – MMA Junkie