Sean Strickland punches Israel Adesanya fan on day one in Australia

Sean Strickland apparently doubled over an Israel Adesanya fan who confronted him ahead of UFC 293.

Strickland will challenge Adesanya for the UFC middleweight title this weekend in the pay-per-view’s (PPV) main event from Sydney, Australia. Adesanya will certainly have the home-court advantage, while Strickland is heading into enemy territory, and, as he explained to FOX Sports Australia, he’s already feeling it.

While near Bondi Junction, Strickland says a fan approached him with what he assumed was a request for a picture. However, the fan instead told him “Izzy is gunna f*** you up,’ which prompted Strickland to punch him in the stomach in retaliation.

“Boom, right in the guts,” Strickland said. “I’d only been in Australia a day and already I’d committed an assault. Initially, I thought the guy was coming up for a photo. Because anybody who wants a photo, man, I love the fans. But if you wanna come up to me and run your f…ing mouth, I’ll smack you like I smack anybody else.

“Uppercut to his stomach. Then I walked away. But if I see the guy again, man, no problems. … I’ll thank him for not pressing charges.”

Strickland has been quite impressive in his run at middleweight. At the moment, the relentless striker is on a two-fight win streak, earning his crack at the gold with a second-round TKO win over Abusupiyan Magomedov back in July. He’ll challenge Adesanya, one of the most prolific strikers the sport has ever seen, who is making his first title defense since re-capturing the throne from Alex Pereira in April.

The pair have been exchanging words with one another for over a year now, and it will all finally culminate inside the Octagon this weekend. Strickland admits he respects Adesanya as a fighter, but isn’t too big of a fan personally.

“Izzy is authentic,” Strickland said. “He paints his nails, is very authentic to what he is. He’s just another guy with a lot of money who is trying to be a superstar. He doesn’t give a f*** about me, doesn’t give a f*** about you, doesn’t give a f*** about the world. I was in the airport once and took a picture with some guy and he thanked me.

“He said ‘Man, I just did the same with Izzy and he was such an a-hole, he wouldn’t even shake my hand.’ People care about the perception we give off. And the perception Izzy gives off is that he’s a superstar. He’s stuck up. I’ve heard people inside of the organization say, out of the organization, people like me because I’m authentic. I don’t wear a pearl necklace. I don’t drive a BMW. I don’t wear designer clothes.

“So people like me because I represent them. People don’t like Izzy because he thinks he’s better than everyone else — the way he dresses, the way he talks, the way he acts. If Izzy could learn anything from me it’s get off your high horse, people will like you a bit better.”