\u201cYou wanna hear something funny?\u201d Strickland asked reporters. \u201cSo on Tuesday, I\u2019m sparring Johnny Eblen \u2014 that motherf\u2014ker, PFL champ. And I\u2019m at Plinio Cruz\u2019s gym [Alex Pereira\u2019s coach], and he shoots on me, and I hit this brick wall and I separated my shoulder.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cSo I had a Grade 1 AC joint separation on Tuesday,\u201d Strickland continued. \u201cI remember lying in bed on Tuesday night, and I can\u2019t lay on my left side, and I\u2019m like, \u2018You\u2019re such a f\u2014king idiot. You are such a f\u2014king idiot.\u2019\u201d<\/p>\n
The newly crowned champion admitted the injury even changed how he prepared backstage before the fight.<\/p>\n
\u201cSo in the back I usually like to get better warmups, but I didn\u2019t want to warm up and throw my shoulder out, so the entire time I was thinking I\u2019m such a f\u2014king moron.\u201d<\/p>\n
Fortunately for Strickland, the shoulder held up long enough for him to grind out a razor-close victory over Chimaev and reclaim the 185-pound crown.<\/p>\n
It\u2019s also not the first time Strickland has fought compromised. Ahead of his rematch against Dricus du Plessis, the outspoken veteran was already dealing with a serious shoulder issue<\/a>, but chose not to withdraw from the bout.<\/p>\n Now riding a two-fight win streak and once again sitting atop the Middleweight division, Strickland says he plans to take some time off \u2014 especially because he believes he broke his nose again during the fight.<\/p>\n
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