Dana White Doesn’t Believe Sean Strickland, Colby Covington’s Controversial Rants Needs to Be Checked, UFC CEO Explains Why to Vivek Ramaswamy

Dana White has revealed how he feels about Sean Strickland’s recent comments! During the build-up to his clash with Dricus Du Plessis at UFC 297, Strickland had drawn a lot of flak from the community due to his outspoken personality and penchant for sharing his divisive opinions publicly. The fighter was also involved in a heated verbal exchange with a Canadian reporter after he asked Strickland a question he took offense with.

As such, White, highlighting his support for the right to free speech, recently defended Strickland’s statements while also drawing comparisons to fighters like Colby Covington, who regularly courts controversy with his polarizing personality!

Dana White disagrees with Sean Strickland but defends his “right to say it”

During a conversation on ‘The Truth’ podcast with Vivek Ramaswamy, White drew a parallel to past UFC instances where fighters proclaimed their support for causes, notably recalling Tyron Woodley’s outspoken support for Black Lives Matter.  He stated, “And at the press conference leading up to his fight, they would ask him a question and he would say, ‘Black Lives Matter’, wouldn’t say sh*t to them, no problem, knock yourself out.”

White also highlighted the contrast with Colby Covington, who holds opposing views and emphasized, “…then we got Colby Covington, who’s the complete opposite of the spectrum. Whether they’re good, they’re not good, this is America, everybody can have their own opinion

When referring to a recent incident in Canada involving Sean Strickland, White acknowledged his disagreement with much of Strickland’s statements but stressed the fighter’s right to express his views.

He revealed, “Sean Strickland said a lot of things, I don’t agree with 95% of what this guy says, but it’s his right to say it.” The UFC boss also stated that if anyone has a problem with Strickland’s statements, they can find comfort because the sport involves fighters getting punched in the face. He proclaimed, “And if you don’t like it, tune in on Saturday night, he’s gonna be getting punched in the face.”

In essence, the statements by White underscored the diversity of opinions within the MMA community, emphasizing the importance of individual rights and freedom of speech in the UFC.

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Nevertheless, despite his disagreement with a majority of Strickland’s views, White recently also revealed his thoughts on the divisive results of UFC 297 and the future of the middleweight division!

White breaks down his scoring for UFC 297 and plans for new middleweight champion

In a closely contested UFC 297 main event, Sean Strickland faced Dricus Du Plessis and despite losing in a split decision, UFC CEO Dana White expressed his belief that Strickland should have emerged victorious!

During the post-fight press conference, acknowledging the fight’s closeness, he stated that the media’s scoring was split down the middle. While lauding Du Plessis for his performance, White stated, “I had it 2-2 going into the last round and I thought that Strickland won the last round. Guys who were sitting at the same table had it the other way. It was a close fight.”

White also praised Strickland’s jab, highlighting its effectiveness in swelling both of Du Plessis’ eyes. However, he noted that the South African adapted his tactics as the fight went on, mixing takedowns and punches in the later rounds. While the possibility of a rematch between Strickland and Du Plessis looms, White indicated “But we’re not thinking about an immediate rematch right now.”

As the aftermath of UFC 297 unfolds, the potential matchups and the question of a rematch remain open, with speculation surrounding former champion Israel Adesanya’s return to the Octagon adding another layer to the ongoing discussion amongst the fans!

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