(Video) Sean Strickland batters 155lbs K-1 champ Rukiya Anpo

Former UFC Middleweight champion Sean Strickland is content to wait for an opportunity to fight for the title, but that doesn’t mean he’s staying idle. Recently, Strickland went on vacation to Japan, where he received an invite to spar from Rukiya Anpo, a former K-1 Super Lightweight champion.

Despite the significant weight difference – Anpo typically fights at around 154 pounds, while Strickland is a Middleweight – the two met up and engaged in a intense training session. The sparring session quickly turned into an all-out brawl, with the two athletes trading heavy blows for five rounds.

Anpo, known for his explosive combinations and powerful body strikes, found early success against the larger Strickland. However, Strickland’s relentless pressure and sheer size eventually wore down the K-1 champion. By the latter half of the session, Strickland was teeing off on his tired opponent.

Strickland took to social media to acknowledge his physical appearance, joking, “Yes I know I’m fat. Fuck off lol.” He also praised Anpo’s toughness, stating that the K-1 champion was “tough as nails.”

Anpo, on the other hand, posted a picture of the two after the session, showing off some bruising. He wrote (via Google Translate), “This is the hardest I’ve ever been beaten in my life.” Anpo has been invited to visit and train with Strickland in Las Vegas, but he may not be too eager to do so after the beating he received.

The intense sparring session between Strickland and Anpo has left fans wondering whether the Middleweight contender will bring the same level of aggression and ferocity to his next UFC fight. Strickland’s last bout against Paulo Costa was a solid victory, but it paled in comparison to the raw intensity displayed in the recent footage from Japan.