Former UFC middleweight champion Sean Strickland is probably the most outspoken fighter on the fight promotion’s roster. He’s definitely the most controversial.
Strickland regularly shares his political opinions and worldview during interviews, at press conferences, and on social media. He openly talks about violent urges, and some of the things he’s said have been cringeworthy. According to Strickland, the UFC wants him to ‘shut up.’
“I don’t really talk to UFC much. All the UFC tells me to do is shut up,” Strickland told The Schmo.
Strickland lost the 185-pound title at UFC 297 in January to current titleholder Dricus Du Plessis via split decision. Strickland firmly believes he won the fight and wants an immediate rematch.
“Let me tell you something about the UFC. I deserve that rematch, and if they don’t give me that rematch, they’re just not one of us. If they don’t give me that rematch, understand it’s for one reason and one reason alone: they want me to shut the f**k up. We all know what will happen. We’ll find out,” Strickland said. “I never cared about the belt. I still don’t. You didn’t f**king win. Dana thought I (won). The world thought I won.”
“I won. Dana said I won, Rogan said I won, we all know I won,” he continued. “I went to Canada and I fought in front of the commies and they shafted me. Dricus wants it, I want it. Win your title like a man, my friend. You know you got a gift from God. Let’s run this sh*t back. Settle it like men. That’s all I’m trying to say. Settle it like a man.”
Strickland is convinced that big money sponsors are keeping the rematch from taking place.
“The thing about the UFC is Dana is the definition of free speech. He supports it to such a degree. But UFC is financed by, you got Bud Light, all these massive corporations that even though Dana might be like, ‘Hey, I let Sean say what he wants,’ there’s a lot of very wealthy people telling him to shut me up. And not just shut me up, shut you guys up. Because you have to understand everything I say is things you say. Everything I say is what UFC fans say. So when they reprimand me, understand they reprimand you guys,” Strickland said.
https://www.mmaweekly.com/news/sean-strickland-ufc-tells-me-to-shut-up