Strickland Claims He's Banned From UFC Freedom 250 at the White House, Plans to Show Up Anyway
UFC middleweight champion Sean Strickland claims he has been banned from attending UFC Freedom 250 at the White House on June 14. He says he plans to fly to DC anyway and protest outside the gates with his belt.
Sean Strickland (29-6 MMA) says the UFC told him he's not welcome at UFC Freedom 250. The reigning middleweight champion, who won the belt from Khamzat Chimaev by split decision at UFC 328 last month, revealed on Instagram Wednesday that he's been banned from attending the biggest event in UFC history. And he's not being quiet about it.
"To be fair, they did ban me," Strickland wrote in the comments of a UFC promo video. "But when you make fun of the leaders of America, they tend to be a little petty."
How This Started Between Sean Strickland, UFC
Strickland commented on the UFC's Instagram promo for the Alex Pereira vs Ciryl Gane co-main event and didn't hold back. Called the card "straight slop" and referenced Netanyahu being in the audience. A fan asked him directly why he was banned. His response was blunt.
"I made fun of Israel and Epstein," Strickland said. "The only male American champ banned at the White House because I said Trump is owned by Netanyahu. That's not public opinion, it's fact."
He followed that up with an Instagram video where he said he got a call from UFC higher ups telling him he wasn't cleared to attend. His words: "They said I'm not Israeli enough to go to UFC 250 Israel Edition." The whole video was dripping with sarcasm. He wasn't apologizing for anything. On X he posted: "I highly doubt Trump is sitting there saying 'Don't clear Sean.' I'm sure he knows nothing about me being black listed but regardless it was done."
He's Going to DC Anyway
Here's where it gets wild. Strickland said he already bought his plane ticket and he's still flying to Washington. His plan? Stand outside the White House gates with his championship belt and a bullhorn. "I already bought my plane ticket, we're f***ing going," Strickland said in the video. "I'm going to bring the belt and we'll just stand outside the gate."
He is literally planning to protest his own promotion's biggest event while wearing the belt he won a month ago. That is a sentence nobody expected to write about a UFC champion.
The UFC Hasn't Said a Word
As of right now the UFC has not confirmed or denied that Strickland was banned. No official statement or comments. The event on June 14 has around 5,000 seats and none of them were available to the public. Every ticket was distributed by the UFC, the Trump administration, or given to active military members.
Tom Aspinall also said this week that the UFC hasn't invited him to attend either, and he's the heavyweight champion. So the list of current champions not attending the biggest card of the year is growing.
Strickland has been the most unpredictable champion on the UFC roster since winning the belt. His comments during the UFC 328 buildup were controversial. His post-fight persona shift caught Dana White's attention, and now he's claiming the UFC is keeping him away from the White House cause of what he said about political leaders. Whether he actually shows up in DC with a bullhorn on June 14 is anybody's guess. But knowing Strickland, nobody should be surprised if he does.
"Going to the White House was promised to me 3,000 years ago," Strickland posted on X.
