UFC fighter Sean Strickland has developed a reputation for being a fairly brilliant pugilist and a fairly repugnant human being.
He put that latter reputation on full display last week when, as part of a media day to promote a UFC fight streaming on Paramount+, he insulted Paramount, blaming them for turning the video game Halo “gay,” referred to Super Bowl halftime show performer Bad Bunny with a homophobic slur, and offered several other bigoted, homophobic, transphobic, and misogynistic thoughts.
On Saturday, before the big fight, UFC CEO Dana White blamed the media for making Strickland say all of that.
Dana White when asked about booking Sean Strickland: You guys don’t help. Asking him dumb shit, you know? Ask dumb shit, you’re gonna get dumb shit. ‘What did you think of Bad Bunny? What did you think of the Super Bowl?’ Get the fuck out of here. pic.twitter.com/afHzAp8LRm
— Jed I. Goodman © (@jedigoodman) February 22, 2026
“It’s a nightmare,” said White when asked if Strickland’s comments impact his booking for fights. “You guys don’t help. Asking him dumb sh*t, you know? Ask dumb sh*t, you’re gonna get dumb sh*t. ‘What did you think of Bad Bunny? What did you think of the Super Bowl?’ Get the f*ck out of here. You f*cking kidding me? So, when you’re talking about what Strickland says, you guys like to push the buttons.”
There is an alternative to this “nightmare” White finds himself in. He could, potentially, possibly, in theory, consider not working with Strickland and distancing himself and his organization from those kinds of hateful comments.
It’s a thought.
Ironically, in a “you do not, under any circumstances, gotta hand it to them” kind of way, it’s Strickland, not White, who is distancing himself from Donald Trump over his alleged ties to pedophile Jeffrey Epstein. White, meanwhile, is moving full speed ahead on that front.
About Sean Keeley
Along with writing for Awful Announcing and The Comeback, Sean is the Managing Editor for Comeback Media. Previously, he created the Syracuse blog Troy Nunes Is An Absolute Magician and wrote 'How To Grow An Orange: The Right Way to Brainwash Your Child Into Rooting for Syracuse.' He has also written non-Syracuse-related things for SB Nation, Curbed, and other outlets. He currently lives in Seattle where he is complaining about bagels. Send tips/comments/complaints to sean@thecomeback.com.