Another week, Sean Strickland trapped another influencer inside a cage. This time, YouTuber Nick Nayersina found himself on the receiving end of a Vegas beating after poking the bear online. After saying “F— you, Sean Strickland” and making a Navy SEAL challenge joke, the former champion was on him like a heat-seeking missile. ‘Tarzan’ didn’t just spar; he hunted. Knees, kicks, and elbows flew like it was a title eliminator rather than a backyard grudge bout in a professional gym. As a result, he has become the internet’s most notorious villain for beating down the 28-year-old.

The video went viral immediately. In it, Nayersina is seen turtled up by the cage, clearly outmatched, while Sean Strickland approaches with some really bad intentions. The thuds reverberate throughout the gym, regardless of whether you wear elbow protectors. A voice in the background cries, “Don’t run!” as the YouTuber flees for safety. Later, ‘Tarzan’ stated, “I was about to shatter [his] skull with an elbow if he didn’t quit.” The line, meant to entertain, only added fuel to a growing fire. The critics surely aren’t laughing anymore.

Ben Davis, an MMA figure, was one of the loudest voices criticizing Strickland’s approach. “Just a little pathetic from Sean at this point,” he commented on X. “It’s maybe comical to hard spar a streamer once, but doing it over and over again and gleefully saying ‘I was gonna shatter your head with an elbow’ to an average untrained guy is just stupid. Bring that energy to your UFC fights.” And the last line stung. Sean Strickland’s last trip to the Octagon resulted in a decision loss against Dricus Du Plessis. Since then, the only time he has worn his gloves again is for gym wars with influencers and ex-military men.

The pattern is now undeniable. First it was Sneako, then a Navy SEAL, and now Nayersina. ‘Tarzan’ has carved out a weird post-title run that looks less like fight preparation and more like an audition for “Street Fighter: YouTube Edition.” Sure, it’s amusing to see someone rant online and then eat a jab combo. However, when the imbalance is this severe, it no longer appears to be discipline and instead feels like dominating for the sake of dominance. And if Sean Strickland does not return to his greatest form inside the Octagon soon, fans may stop cheering altogether. In fact, many are already turning their backs on him.

Fans display their wrath against Sean Strickland on social media

The tone suddenly changed after the video went viral online. What began as just another piece of footage in Sean Strickland’s expanding collection of “influencer eliminations” quickly became a source of controversy. Viewers who had previously found his chaotic gym sessions interesting began to express uneasiness. It wasn’t about Nick Nayersina’s antics anymore; it was about Strickland’s readiness to unleash full force on someone who clearly didn’t belong in the cage with him. Fans who had previously laughed at the beatdowns began to wonder what type of fighter would willingly inflict such pain with a smile.

Criticism came from every direction. “Sean is going hard on streamers rather than his opponents,” one fan said, while another joked, “This is how you can tell Sean has no martial arts base. Not the martial way to be a bully.” The mockery kept on getting sharper with every comment: “He loves to beat on guys who are built like accountants who look like they were just shown a fight tape for the first time in the van they were abducted in on the way.” Someone even went so far as to call him “The Karen of the UFC”—an insult that seems different when delivered at someone who earned a reputation for being anti-politically correct and completely raw.

Nonetheless, a small group of fans still backed Strickland using the same arguments he has used himself. “They know what they’re getting into. They ask for it,” one fan wrote. Another user responded, “It’s also on the dumb f—- that step in there w a professional MMA fighter for views.” To them, YouTubers are chasing publicity and are well aware of the storm they are inviting with open arms. This sentiment was perfectly summed up by this comment: “Play stupid games, win stupid prizes.” However, even with that argument, the growing discomfort is real. The chaos is beginning to appear less like content and more like cruelty, and some fans don’t want to see that happen again. What do you think? Did Strickland go too far? Let us know in the comments.