So, this is a bit of a personal rant about the UFC and Sean Strickland but whatever.
Sean Strickland. Yes, he's an asshole. Yes, he says fucked up shit. Yes, he got his mic cut in his post-fight interview after winning against Fluffy Hernandez. That shouldn't have happened, especially because he was calling out actual PREDATORY BEHAVIOR.
People need to stop being offended by him. He KNOWS he's being baited. He KNOWS people are going to react negatively to what he says. Does he believe everything he says? Honestly, probably. I'll admit, he is a bit fucked in the head (though I think anybody with his upbringing would be). Does he say offensive shit? Yes. But he is not the only UFC fighter to do that, he's just typically the loudest.
These are UFC fighters. They talk trash and hurt each other for a living. They're ALL racist. They're ALL misogynistic. That's what generates money. You see a UFC fighter saying something racist (like Sean with his promotions with Fluffy) and you pay to watch it because you think "oh that guy's an asshole I want to see him get his ass kicked". The only reason people are so pissy about Sean Strickland is because he won.
Also, people saying that "If you aren't a straight white man Sean hates you" are wrong. Alex Pereria. He likes and respects him enough to train with him and even have him in his corner during fights. That guy is Brazilian. Not to mention someone who's clearly one of his best friends, Chris Curtis, who is Black. He also defends women. Constantly. Specifically, ones who have been assaulted. Most people don't know that tho, bc he's not a glory seeker who talks about it all the time.
I'll also point out that Colby Covington, who makes his entire identity about being a Republican, does roughly the same thing as Sean, but because he doesn't win fights, we don't constantly see him being canceled online. Plus, he doesn't have a big enough fanbase (prolly bc he's trash compared to most fighters but whatever).
And Sean O'Malley. He quite literally openly made fun of Strickland's past saying stuff about his dad r-ing him. I don't think that one was true, but I also wouldn't be surprised if it was. Dricus Du Plessis brought ups Sean's past too. Same thing.
Nobody took to the internet to whine about how those two made fun of his abuse and trauma. O'Malley wasn't even fighting Strickland. The two of them were just being dicks to each other in the press conferences.
Sorry if you don't agree with me or think less of me or whatever after reading this, but it bugs me that people are acting like we need to take Sean Strickland's entire career away from him just because he's good at rage baiting.
And for the record, Sean Strickland apologizes when he goes too far. He just does so privately, to the fighters he actually said the offensive things to (not reporters tho).
