UFC firebrand claims he fought like a 'pansy' in main event win (VIDEO)

Surging UFC contender Sean Strickland, a fighter who has emerged as one fo the most controversial on the UFC roster in recent months, continued his rise up the middleweights rankings in Las Vegas on Saturday night but true to form, the outspoken American didn't restrain himself when speaking afterwards and said that he fought "like a b*tch" in what was the biggest fight of his career to date.

Strickland improved his career record to an impressive 25-3 with a split decision win against Norway's Hermansson - but it was a fight which largely didn't live up to its billing.

For all of Strickland's blood-thirsty talk in the build-up to the fight, in which he previously stated that he would relish the opportunity to 'kill' an opponent in the cage, it was a strangely subdued performance from the American who sat behind his jab for large portions of the fight.

Analysing a performance which was more methodical than it was murderous afterwards, Strickland didn't go easy on himself. 

“I’m sorry guys,” he said.

“I was being a pansy. I should have stayed in the pocket and thrown. Maybe I let the pressure get to me. I was fighting like a b*tch. I think I just let the win bonus get the better of me. I should have stayed in the pocket and thrown more.”

While the victory against the sixth-ranked Hermansson will almost certainly propel Strickland further up the 185lbs rankings, he has himself openly questioned if the UFC would afford a title opportunity to a fighter who is as un-PC as they come. 

Strickland's performance, though, was hailed by several of his peers - with both bantamweight champion Aljamain Sterling and welterweight veteran Alan Jouban paying tribute to his post-fight comments.

Another fight, Boston Salmon, added that Strickland “is crazy and just dont give a fook.”

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In addition to his comments about killing an opponent, he also stated this week that he would be able to sexually assault middleweight rival Kevin Holland in the hypothetical scenario that the two were sharing a prison cell with one another.

He also came clean about his neo-Nazi upbringing during a recent interview, something which Strickland says he is now deeply ashamed of. 

And whether or not that title opportunity eventually arrives, Strickland said that he is happy to add a bit of extra weight to his bank balance.

“I would love to get a title shot but as the UFC knows, I’m a company man,” Strickland announced. “I will fight who you put in front me.

“Without [the fans], I would probably be a piece of sh*t somewhere,” he added. “Now I’m a piece of sh*t with money. Let’s go!”