UFC champ Sean Strickland's NSFW jibe at Meta Glasses users sparks debate on ethical concerns in MMA realm and beyond

Sean Strickland has seemingly joined the chorus regarding the ethical and miscellaneous concerns surrounding the Meta Glasses. 

The reigning UFC middleweight champion put forth a rather NSFW take against the product, from the Mark Zuckerberg-founded Meta organization, and has elicited a myriad of reactions from MMA fans and other netizens. 

UFC middleweight champ Sean Strickland berates Meta Glasses users

The Meta Glasses are hailed by proponents as a futuristic device that can be utilized in positive ways -- such as helping visually challenged individuals; aiding professionals from different walks of life assess data via its AI and other attributes, recording footage for research and other purposes, etc. 

Alternatively, its critics have consistently cited the ethical concerns arising from the ability to clandestinely capture footage in sensitive areas such as military zones, as well as privacy concerns due to the glasses being used to record people without consent. 

Veteran MMA fighter Sean Strickland, on his part, appeared to take aim at those who choose to sport Meta Glasses. Taking to X, Strickland wrote, "If you wear meta glasses youre a f*gg*t." 

If you wear meta glasses youre a faggot

— Sean Strickland (@SStricklandMMA) August 21, 2026

An X user responded by alluding to the homophobic slur Strickland used and questioned whether he'd even label those using the glasses for work purposes as such. The American fighter answered by writing, "I think there is a place for some pov cam but Zuckerberg on your face isnt the one." 

It's noteworthy that Meta and its founder Mark Zuckerberg are associated with the UFC, with the UFC Apex even being rebranded as the Meta Apex. The multi-year Meta-UFC partnership was announced last year. Zuckerberg is known to be an MMA enthusiast and has even trained with UFC greats such as Max Holloway and Israel Adesanya. 

I think there is a place for some pov cam but Zuckerberg on your face isnt the one

— Sean Strickland (@SStricklandMMA) August 21, 2026

MMA fans and others react to Sean Strickland's NSFW post against Meta Glasses and its users

A number of MMA fans as well as other netizens weighed in with their reactions to Sean Strickland's post; some supporting his take, others condemning him for it. 

Many commenters called Strickland out over his use of the anti-LGBTQ epithet. A fan asserted, "If you toss out homophobic slurs you're a bigot."

Meanwhile, multiple X users pointed out the benefits of the glasses, not only for professional use but also for personal reasons, including to overcome health challenges such as eye-related issues. One observer noted, "Ouch, ok man. Myopia is no joke, just sayin." 

Furthermore, some emphasized the privacy and other ethical arguments against the glasses. A detractor of the Meta Glasses suggested, "Those things should be banned, it's too easy for pervs to film women and kids." 

On the contrary, some opposed Strickland's assessment and seemed to downplay the supposed pitfalls of the gadget. A fan stated, "Imagine being this threatened by a pair of glasses," whereas another affirmed, "CTE r*t*rd speaks again. Another dumb take." 

Strickland, as such, has apparently kept in line with his tendency of courting controversy with the socio-political assertions he makes in his interviews, via social media posts, and elsewhere.

As for his MMA career, "Tarzan" is believed to be likely to defend his UFC middleweight title in a rematch against archrival Khamzat Chimaev, possibly this December, but that's yet to be officially confirmed. 

Check out the screenshots of a few fan reactions to Sean Strickland's posts concerning those using Meta Glasses below: