The South African fighter said this in an interview with SuperSport, relaying the details of the conversation with the American.
“I understand that he wants a rematch, to get the public’s support, but he came up to me in the cage before they even announced me as the new champion and said, ‘No, you definitely beat me. You deserved it, you won the fight, you beat me.“,” the new UFC champion said. “He knew he didn’t win that fight.”
“Even afterward, when we were in the medical exam room, he came up to me and said, ‘You’re a warrior. I wouldn’t want to lose to anyone else – you deserve it.'”
The title fight, which headlined the UFC 297 event in Toronto a week ago, went the full distance and ended in a split decision loss for the American. Shortly after the fight, Strickland said he considered himself the winner and also challenged his opponent for a head kick in the fourth round that left a severe cut above his eye and seriously obstructed his view.