Sean Strickland’s training session with a world-class grappler nearly turned into a full-on MMA fight.
As part of the preparation for his headlining bout with Uriah Hall at a UFC Fight Night on July 31, Strickland worked with Abu Dhabi Combat Club champion Orlando Sanchez, and a recent video showed that their training went off the rails.
After tying up in what was meant to be a grappling-only exchange, Strickland abruptly broke the grip and fired a backfist at Sanchez.
Watch video of the incident below, uploaded by YouTube user Just DeWitte (h/t Bloody Elbow):
Strickland also threw a front kick at Sanchez’s mid-section, then went on to accuse Sanchez of attempting to injure his arm with a “dirty” move.