UFC Fighter Sean Strickland Launches Homophobic and Sexist Tirade
UFC fighter Sean Strickland has ignited controversy with a vile homophobic and sexist rant, targeting Puerto Rican rapper Bad Bunny and female MMA fighters, including legend Ronda Rousey. In comments made at a UFC media day this week, Strickland insisted that women have been empowered 'too much' and have 'ruined society,' while also making derogatory remarks about Bad Bunny's recent Super Bowl halftime performance.
Strickland's Offensive Comments on Women's MMA
Strickland, a former middleweight champion who has lost two of his last three fights, spoke ahead of his upcoming bout against Anthony Hernandez. This marks his first fight since being suspended by the MMA promotion for brawling as a cornerman last year. When asked about Ronda Rousey's return to the Octagon after 10 years for a Netflix live event in May, Strickland dismissed the matchup as 'insane.'
He said, 'Who thought of that? I guess they are going to be half-naked which might make it a little bit better. Do you guys care about Gina and Ronda? No one gives a f**k. Maybe throw some oil on them and some dollar bills, people might give a f**k. Not many people give a f**k about women’s MMA in general.'
Strickland continued by comparing women's MMA to the WNBA, stating, 'It’s like the WNBA. No one gives a f**k. You take the weakest, softest motherf****r here and you guys would beat up Amanda Nunes.' He added, 'We got to remember what women excel at – having kids, being mothers, making food, cleaning the house. But the problem is we have empowered them too much to ruin society.'
Homophobic Remarks Aimed at Bad Bunny
Strickland also directed homophobic comments at Bad Bunny following the rapper's Super Bowl halftime show earlier this month. Refusing to say his name, Strickland referred to him as 'that f*****g f****t' and criticized the NFL for 'gaying up' the sport. He said, 'It’s so crazy that this is America now. Like, back in the day dude, the NFL was the f*****g standard of being a f*****g man. And now every f*****g year, the NFL, I think they all get together around a table and say, ‘You know what, guys? How do we f*****g ruin this sport? How do we gay it up? How do we f*****g ruin it?'
He concluded by saying, 'Well, I’ll tell you what. Why don’t we bring a gay foreigner who doesn’t speak f*****g English and have him perform it?'
Background and Reactions
Strickland has a history of making homophobic comments, including a 2022 tweet where he stated, 'if I had a gay son I would think I failed as a man.' His latest rant references Amanda Nunes, a two-weight world champion who ended Ronda Rousey's MMA career a decade ago. Rousey, one of MMA's most influential figures, helped bring the sport into the mainstream during her peak.
Metro has contacted UFC for comment on Strickland's remarks. The incident highlights ongoing issues with discrimination in sports, sparking debate about accountability and the promotion of inclusive values in professional athletics.
