Daniel Cormier wants to see fight fans support Sean Strickland the same way they supported Alexander Volkanovski.
On Monday, Strickland got the attention of pundits when he opened up about his struggle with mental health. Though he’s known best for his snarky commentaries on a variety of subjects, there was none of that here. This was two minutes of ‘Tarzan’ peeling back the curtain and giving everyone a glimpse into what it feels like to seemingly have everything you ever wanted, and still not feel right in the world.
In October, Alexander Volkanovski delivered a similar speech immediately following his devastating knockout loss to Islam Makhachev at UFC 294.
Chiming in on Cormier’s comments, the UFC Hall of Famer believes that we should all be trying to help lift Sean Strickland, the same way the MMA community came together and rallied around Volkanovski last year.
“Sean Strickland is a guy that has a very, very dark past,” Cormier said on his YouTube channel. “We all know that. But that dark past has served to make him a world-champion fighter and a guy that is willing to go through so much adversity. He said that he’s rich, but that he can’t get past the hurdles mentally. I want to make sure that we as the consumer, treat this in the same manner, in which we treated Alexander Volkanovski when he spoke about his issues mentally.”
My latest YouTube video today I will discuss Sean Strickland and some of the things he said this last week. live at 5pm eastern/ 2pm pacific! Go now https://t.co/FuqqDvzNP2 pic.twitter.com/mAfBNvSXgG
— Daniel Cormier (@dc_mma) March 20, 2024
Daniel Cormier Insists That Whether You Love or Hate Sean Strickland, We Have to Look at Him as a Human Being
While Volkanovski is one of the most beloved fighters in the sport, Strickland has proven to be a polarizing figure — to say the least. Though many appreciate his candid take on practically everything under the sun, some are not particularly fond of his more vile rants which include blatant homophobia and a far-right-wing agenda.
Still, Cormier insists that whether you enjoy Strickland’s hot takes, or loathe every time he opens his mouth, he is still a human being who deserves empathy, particularly from the people he entertains every time he steps inside the Octagon.
“Whether you love him or you hate him, we have to look at the human being,” Cormier continued. “When Volk said that he was in his own head, we all rushed to speak to him and his strength. We need to make sure we do the same thing for Sean Strickland. That’s a plea for help. So we as the mixed martial arts community, should rush to his side again. Just like we did for Alexander Volkanovski.”
Watch the full video below:
