‘All You Do Is Bi***’: Sean Strickland’s Soccer Rant Backfires As Fans Fire Back
Few fighters thrive in controversy quite like Sean Strickland. From political remarks and criticism of women in combat sports to once branding himself a "bully" who enjoys hurting people, the outspoken UFC middleweight has built a reputation for speaking his mind regardless of the backlash.
Now, amid the football frenzy surrounding the FIFA World Cup, Strickland has walked into the fire, this time for taking aim at soccer.
Sean Strickland Takes On 3 Billion Soccer Fans; Gets Roasted Badly
Fresh off recapturing the UFC middleweight title from Khamzat Chimaev just over a month ago and seemingly adding another wave of followers to his fanbase, the 35-year-old once again found himself in hot water after taking to social media with his latest unfiltered opinion.
“You know soccer is a bad sport because you get rewarded for acting like a bi***," Strickland wrote.
The post quickly backfired, as fans from across the globe stormed the comment section to roast the UFC champion, proving that when it comes to defending soccer, rivalries and national allegiances can be put aside for a time.
Ironically, football, or soccer as it is popularly known in the United States, is undoubtedly the most-followed sport in the world, with more than 3 billion fans passionately following the beautiful game. To Sean Strickland, it's an outright "bad sport."
Fans Deliver Vicious Counterstrike at Sean Strickland
One fan cheekily flipped the script, noting, "You know MMA is a sh***y sport when two guys in their underwear almost kiss and then start making out on the floor like w***es." Another poked fun at the former champion's combative personality, with a brutal quip, "Man got touched on the shoulder and started reliving Vietnam flashbacks."
Others opted for a more measured approach, reminding Strickland of soccer's global reach. One such user highlighted the obvious, stating Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo alone possess enough star power and wealth to dwarf most combat sports promotions, before adding, "Stay out of the matter you don't understand... And it's FOOTBALL."
However, perhaps the harshest criticism came from fans who accused Strickland of making a habit of complaining about things he personally dislikes.
"All you do is bi***, always complaining how you don't like this and you don't like that because it's 'gay'," one fan wrote, before sarcastically pointing out the irony of an MMA fighter criticizing another sport while spending his career grappling with opponents in close quarters.
Then came in waves of hilarious GIFs and edited images, aimed squarely at the fighter and his unorthodox fighting style.
For longtime MMA followers, though, the backlash came as little surprise. Strickland has spent years relishing an image as the UFC's antagonist, rarely shying away from opinions that he knows will spark outrage.
Throwback to Sean Strickland’s Most Controversial Posts and Comments
This latest dust-up is merely the newest entry in a long list of headlines generated by Strickland's outspoken personality.
Over the years, the UFC middleweight has repeatedly drawn criticism for comments that many have deemed offensive or provocative.
Perhaps his most infamous came when he openly admitted to TMZ, "Yeah. I'm a f***ng bully and an a**hole, and I like to hurt people... Oh, man. If I kill someone in the ring, it'd f***ing make me very happy."
Unsurprisingly, the comments sparked widespread criticism, but the Californian appeared unfazed by the backlash. On another occasion, he mocked former undefeated lightweight champion Khabib Nurmagomedov's personal life in a crude social media post.
Furthermore, back in 2022, Strickland suggested that women's MMA would struggle to survive without being attached to men's fights, claiming that most fans simply do not enjoy watching female fighters compete.
Not to mention, Strickland's often-labeled homophobic comments have drawn ire from across the MMA community. Former two-division champion Amanda Nunes notably blasted the middleweight for his remarks, while numerous fighters and fans rallied behind the Brazilian legend in condemning his rhetoric.
Yet despite the recurring backlash, Strickland has shown little interest in toning down his rhetoric. If anything, he appears to embrace the role of the sport's resident villain, often doubling down on his views rather than walking them back.
At the end of the day, love him or loathe him, Strickland has mastered one aspect of modern prizefighting better than most fighters on the roster, keeping people talking.
