UFC Fighter Sean Strickland's Bizarre Press Conference Rant Draws Widespread Condemnation
Controversial UFC fighter Sean Strickland has once again found himself at the center of a media firestorm following a shocking press conference appearance on Wednesday. The middleweight contender, who is preparing for his upcoming match against Anthony Hernandez this Saturday, used the platform to launch into a vulgar, sexist tirade targeting women's mixed martial arts and making inappropriate personal revelations.
Inappropriate Comments About Women's MMA and Personal Revelations
During the media gathering, Strickland turned a question about the anticipated comeback fight between legendary fighters Ronda Rousey and Gina Carano into what observers described as a bizarre and offensive rant. He began by mocking Paramount+, the streaming service broadcasting his upcoming fight, claiming the platform "fucking ruined 'Halo'" by making it "gay."
Strickland then shifted his attention to the Rousey-Carano matchup scheduled for May, questioning who conceived the idea and suggesting, "Are they gonna be half naked? It might make it a little better." While acknowledging Rousey's fighting ability with the crude phrase "That bitch can fight," and praising Carano for being "super conservative," Strickland then ventured into deeply inappropriate territory by sharing unwanted personal details about his childhood.
"I was like a kid when she fought. I may have jerked off to her once or twice back in the day ... I was like, what, like 12? I was jerking off when I was 12," Strickland revealed to the assembled reporters, crossing clear boundaries of professional conduct.
Dismissive Attitude Toward Women's Sports and Outdated Stereotypes
The fighter continued his offensive commentary by claiming that "nobody gives a fuck" about the Rousey-Carano fight, suggesting organizers should "maybe put some oil on it, you know. Do some dollar bills. People might give a fuck." He then expanded his criticism to women's sports in general, asserting that "no one gives a fuck about women's sports" and boasting that even the "weakest, softest motherfucker" at the press conference could defeat current UFC women's champion Amanda Nunes.
In what appeared to be an attempt at damage control, Strickland insisted "there's nothing wrong with women," but his subsequent reasoning revealed deeply entrenched, outdated gender stereotypes. "I mean, they do great things. You know, they fucking — they cook, they clean," he stated, before adding a peculiar justification for avoiding criminal behavior: "There are no women in prison, right? Like, that's why I didn't go to fucking prison, knowing I'm gonna have to go be surrounded by a bunch of fucking dudes for 30 years."
Strickland concluded this portion of his rant with the inflammatory claim that "we've empowered them too much to ruin society," drawing immediate criticism from observers across the sports world.
Pattern of Controversial Behavior and Upcoming Fight Tensions
This incident represents just the latest in a series of controversial actions from the outspoken fighter. Last month, Strickland attacked his upcoming opponent Anthony Hernandez with a social media post depicting himself dressed as an Immigration and Customs Enforcement officer while showing Hernandez in a poncho and sombrero—imagery widely criticized as racially insensitive.
Hernandez responded to Strickland's behavior during a podcast appearance on Tuesday, vowing to "fucking torture" the controversial fighter when they meet in the octagon this weekend. The escalating tensions between the two fighters have added significant drama to their upcoming matchup.
On Thursday, Strickland attempted to address the fallout from his press conference remarks via social media, claiming he got "rage baited" by a reporter while reiterating his criticism of Paramount+'s handling of the "Halo" television series. "Alright team its simple, were not gonna fill it with strong women and were not gonna make it gay," he tweeted, demonstrating that his controversial perspectives remained unchanged despite the backlash.
The mixed martial arts community now faces renewed questions about appropriate conduct for professional athletes during media appearances, with Strickland's latest outburst serving as a particularly egregious example of boundary-crossing behavior that many believe has no place in professional sports promotion.
