Eric Nicksick, the head coach of Extreme Couture, had a challenging year in 2023. He was involved in Francis Ngannou’s split decision loss to Tyson Fury and also helped Sean Strickland secure the UFC middleweight title by defeating Israel Adesanya.
However, 2024 didn’t start well for Strickland, as he lost his title in a close battle against Doricus du Plessis at UFC 297. The fight ended in a split decision, with Strickland trailing by just one point according to one of the scorecards.
Nicksick took to Instagram to express his thoughts, acknowledging the close nature of the fight and emphasizing the importance of winning the “battle of optics.” He mentioned that despite Strickland’s performance, the visual impression of the fight might have influenced the judges’ decision.
When referring to “optics,” Nicksick was highlighting the significance of how a fight is perceived versus its actual technical aspects. He believed that du Plessis’ aggressive attacks and forward movement might have swayed the judges, and even pointed out a possible factor – a headbutt resulting in a visible mark on Strickland’s head.
The judges’ scores revealed that two of them gave Strickland the victory in the first and fifth rounds, while a dissenting judge awarded Strickland a win in the third round as well. Interestingly, no judge scored round two in Strickland’s favor, despite his effective jab causing damage to du Plessis.
Nicksick also expressed appreciation for du Plessis and his team, commending their professionalism and skills.
He also praised du Plessis and his team for their sportsmanship and skill, to which du Plessis responded with gratitude for the respect shown by Strickland’s team.
The mutual respect displayed between Strickland and du Plessis at the end of their fight was unexpected given their public confrontation just a month prior. This demonstrates the unifying power of mixed martial arts, where respect prevails even after a grueling competition.
