Dana White Sounds Off On Sean Strickland's Controversial LGBTQ Remarks

Sean Strickland is once again making headlines, and not just for his performance inside the Octagon. The UFC fighter sparked controversy following his latest victory after a post-fight press conference took a dramatic turn, ultimately leading to the live broadcast audio being cut while he continued speaking. The incident has fueled backlash from fans, fellow fighters, and critics, with UFC president Dana White also weighing in on the fallout.

Strickland initially spent several minutes answering questions about his win before shifting the conversation away from fight analysis and toward broader cultural and political topics. The pivot came after a week in which he had already drawn criticism for similar comments during media appearances. What began as a standard post-fight discussion quickly evolved into politically charged commentary involving multiple communities.

According to reports, Strickland spoke for roughly seven minutes during the post-fight press conference, making multiple vulgar and homophobic statements. Among his remarks, he proclaimed, "I'll make fun of gays any chance I get."

He also commented on Puerto Rican rapper Bad Bunny, who performed at the Super Bowl LX halftime show. "I mean, look at the NFL, dude," Strickland said. "You had that, I don't even want to say the f-ggots name because it's just like, what?... The Puerto Rican, right? Yeah, that f-cking f-ggot."

He continued, "Like, dude, it is so crazy that this is America now ... I think they all get together around a table and say, 'You know what, guys? How do we f-cking ruin this sport? How do we gay it up? How do we f-cking ruin it?' Well, I'll tell you what. Why don't we bring a gay foreigner who doesn't speak f-cking English and have him perform it?"

At one point, he also addressed UFC public relations staff directly, telling them, "Relax, UFC motherf-cker," before continuing his commentary and pivoting back to a discussion about a potential fight with Khamzat Chimaev.

As the remarks continued, UFC public relations staff intervened, and the official live broadcast suddenly lost audio from Strickland, even though he continued speaking inside the room. Viewers watching the press conference stream were unable to hear his comments from that point forward.

The controversy surrounding Strickland didn’t stop at the press conference. During the UFC Houston ceremonial weigh-ins, the fighter was met with loud boos from the crowd after facing off against opponent Hernandez.

Standing alongside commentator Jon Anik for his final pre-fight remarks, Strickland leaned into the hostile reaction with an aggressive response directed at the audience. “Listen here, you motherf-ckers. I know you guys, you might want your local Mexican to win. There’s nothing wrong with that,” Strickland said.

He then continued, escalating the rhetoric while referencing his fighting style compared to his opponent. “Let me tell you to ‘The Lone Star State’, there’s only one motherf-cker who stands and bangs. Your f-cking guy wrestles. I fight more like a Mexican than that motherf-cker. F-ck you.”

The comments were consistent with a pattern that has followed Strickland throughout his UFC career, as the 34-year-old fighter has often leaned into controversial rhetoric during interviews and media appearances.

UFC president Dana White later addressed the controversy while speaking with reporters, acknowledging the challenges of managing Strickland’s public persona during a week that included both criticism and a major victory. “It’s a nightmare," he said bluntly.

White also suggested that certain media questions contribute to situations escalating beyond fight-related topics. “You guys don’t help. Asking him dumb sh-t. Ask dumb sh-t, you’re going to get dumb sh-t," he said before giving the example of "What’d you think of Bad Bunny? What’d you think of the Super Bowl?"

“Get the f-ck out of here. Are you f-ck kidding me?" White said. "So, when you talk about what Strickland says, you guys like to push the buttons.”

The controversy also drew a response from UFC legend Amanda Nunes, widely considered one of the greatest fighters in the sport’s history. Strickland had referenced Nunes during his remarks, claiming that “the weakest, softest motherf-cker here would beat up Amanda Nunes” as part of his broader argument that “no one gives a f-ck about women’s sports.”

Nunes responded publicly on Instagram, pushing back against the comments with a message highlighting both women’s achievements and her own accomplishments inside the Octagon. “We do everything he said, and to top it off, lol, we’re fighters too. #girlpower,” the former UFC Bantamweight and Featherweight champion wrote. “Don’t cry, dude.”

As of now, neither the UFC nor Strickland has announced any disciplinary action related to the press conference.