UFC 312 turned out to be a defining moment for Sean Strickland, who tasted his second loss since losing his belt to Dricus du Plessis. In a moment of abysmal heartbreak, Strickland’s head coach, Eric Nicksick, resorted to public criticism over support, questioning his purpose and asking if money was the reason. And that sealed the fate of Nicksick not cornering Strickland again—or so it seemed.

After DDP bagged a one-sided UD win against Strickland, Nicksick went to The Ariel Helwani Show, calling his performance “uninspired”. That rubbed Strickland the wrong way, who took to X to address the situation that Nicksick will “probably not” be in his corner. However, Strickland doesn’t seem to have lived up to his words.

Eric Nicksick will be by Sean Strickland’s side at UFC Houston

Taking the MMA community by shock, Strickland’s head coach, Eric Nicksick, spoke to MMA Fighting, cementing his decision to be at Strickland’s corner for the upcoming UFC Fight Night in Houston on February 21 against Anthony ‘Fluffy’ Hernandez.

“We sat down and spoke it out like men, and we’re good to go. So I’ll be there in his corner,” Nicksick announced.

Not just that, but the duo seems to have come a long way in their relationship, as Nicksick, who dealt with his own father’s health issues, explained. Topping it all off with the immense pressure of the training camp for Strickland to reclaim his crown against DDP, and stifling on-camp injuries, it appears that UFC 312 was destined to put cracks in their relationship, straying the words from their true intentions.

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However, the pair seems to have resorted to healthy communication over holding past grudges.

“I think for me, there was a lot of learning experiences from that situation, lack of communication on both of our parts,” Nicksick explained. “It really just boils down to the fact that like we just got to be better at our communication with one another, you know, and that was it.”

Strickland and Nicksick both sorted out their differences and miscommunications just a couple of weeks after the internet fiasco.

“He knew where I was coming from. He knew the bottom line was. I just have a high standard of expectations for him, because I know what he’s capable of, and he knows that I love him and I care for him,” Nicksick lifted the lid on their dynamic.

But what matters is how this renewed connection will hold against pressure and high-stakes bouts like the one against Hernandez, riding an 8-fight win streak, a dominant stretch untouched since 2021. This will not be the first time Nicksick calls his shots against Hernandez inside the Octagon, having cornered Roman Dolidze before.

And it’s safe to say, Nicksick understands the challenge they are in for.

Eric Nicksick offers a sneak peek at Sean Strickland’s Houston strategy

In Nicksick’s own words, the duo coming together signifies more than just patching up their relationship, and rather closing a chapter in both their lives, as Strickland looks to reignite his champion pedigree in Houston.

“We’re up for the challenge, and I’m looking forward to, to getting back with Sean and finishing what we started,” Nicksick told MMA Fighting.

The path to the top, however, won’t be a walk in the park, as Nicksick shared the nitty-gritty of the matchup.

“This fight is chaos, right? You’re looking at two guys who move forward, who rely on their pressure, but also rely on their cardio in different styles… They’re very similar in a lot of ways in their cardio and their attack and their approach.”

However, the fighters differ in their own ways, bringing contrasting styles to the cage. Hernandez follows the grit principle, chasing his opponent’s back to get the takedown. Whereas Strickland pinholes his vision to a pro-striking approach, building pressure and landing devastating round-winning blows.

What these differences look like for Nicksick and Strickland to tilt the fight in their favor is keeping the fight on the plane, where Strickland thrives—on the feet. But it also involves the ability to counter-wrestle and get more time on the top instead of getting crushed down.

Drawing from the last DDP bout, Nicksick remarked, “Dricus took us down, we would hit the switch, and then we would disengage. I was kind of wanting some more ride time cause Sean’s top side pressure is really, really good. So I think, in this fight, being able to nullify some of those takedowns, but also be able get our own ride time and then with our own solid ground up pound [is very important].”

This is the essential switch that Strickland has to hit to be able to nullify wrestlers like DDP and Hernandez. However, what the duo makes of the Houston Fight Night is what defines Strickland’s career going forward.

So what do you think, who takes the cake at the Houston main event—Strickland or Hernandez? Comment below.