Former UFC Champion Sean Strickland Dismisses Rousey vs. Carano Bout
During a UFC Houston media day on Wednesday, ex-middleweight titleholder Sean Strickland expressed harsh criticism of the upcoming fight between women's MMA pioneers Ronda Rousey and Gina Carano. The 34-year-old fighter, known for his outspoken nature, did not hold back in his assessment of the May 16 Netflix event.
Strickland Questions the Appeal of Women's MMA
"Oh f*** me dude, Ronda and Gina. Whoever thought about that? Are they going to be half naked? I guess they will be half naked. Might make it a little better," Strickland remarked, casting doubt on the fight's entertainment value. He acknowledged Rousey's fighting abilities, calling her "an Olympian, a weird f***ing Olympian" and noting her past losses, but maintained a dismissive tone.
Regarding Carano, Strickland was even more blunt: "Gina always sucked. I like Gina. She's like super conservative. She was hot. But Gina, she always kind of sucked, you know. She was just hot. And back then, like women's MMA was like slightly worse than it is now, which isn't saying a lot."
Broader Criticism of Women's Sports
Strickland extended his comments to women's sports in general, drawing a comparison to the WNBA. "But really, like not many people give a f*** about women's MMA in general," he said. "It's like the WNBA. Everyone's like, Oh, no one gives a f*** about women's sports. Like, who cares?"
He went further by suggesting that even the weakest male fighters could defeat top female competitors like Amanda Nunes, a former UFC champion widely regarded as one of the greatest women's fighters in history. "You're watching two chicks. Like, you take the weakest, softest motherf***er here and you guys would beat up Amanda Nunes," Strickland asserted.
Traditional Views on Women's Roles
Despite his harsh words, Strickland offered what he described as complimentary remarks about women, albeit in a traditional context. "There's nothing wrong with women. I mean, they do great things," he said. "They cook, they clean, they make good food. Like, women are great. We've got to remember what women excel at: having kids, being mothers, making food, cleaning house. The problem is we've empowered them too much to ruin society."
Strickland, who holds a 29-7 MMA record, is set to headline Saturday's UFC Fight Night event in Houston against Anthony Hernandez. His comments come as Rousey and Carano prepare to step out of retirement for their highly anticipated bout, which will stream exclusively on Netflix, marking a significant moment for women's combat sports.
