Sean Strickland has never been one to sugarcoat his thoughts, and his latest take on the UFC’s business ties with Saudi Arabia is no different. Speaking at the UFC 312 media day in Australia, the outspoken former middleweight champ unleashed a blunt, unfiltered rant about the promotion’s growing partnership with the Middle Eastern country.
Strickland Sounds Off on UFC and Saudi Arabia
Strickland didn’t hold back when discussing the opportunities that come with being a UFC champion, especially for fighters willing to align with certain interests.
“You know what it is. If you’re a fg shill. If you’re not, if you’re a fg c***, like my boy Izzy and you want to go suck off the China government and you don’t have one ounce of freedom of speech or dignity, it opens up a lot of f****g doors.”
His comments reflected his long-standing reputation for speaking his mind, regardless of how controversial it may be. Strickland has previously criticized fighters for engaging in business with foreign governments, and this time, he turned his focus to the UFC’s dealings with Saudi Arabia.
A History of Criticism
This isn’t the first time Strickland has taken aim at Saudi Arabia. When talks surfaced about a potential fight with Khamzat Chimaev in the region, he dismissed the idea, citing cultural differences. His skepticism resurfaced during media day, where he questioned UFC’s growing relationship with the country.
“I mean, hell, like, you know how many uh, what, like the UFC’s buddy buddy with Saudi Arabia now. I shouldn’t say this dude, but I mean, look at my boy Vivic. How many, like, I could be wrong when I say this, weren’t like a significant amount of like the 9/11 guys Saudi, do they have Saudi passports is that what it was?”
Sean Strickland brought out a fan for a sparring session at the #UFC312 open workouts in Sydney pic.twitter.com/BCpQcVLhqO
— MMA Fighting (@MMAFighting) February 5, 2025
He continued with his thoughts on the situation, diving deeper into his views on Saudi Arabia’s influence.
“That is, that are you backing them up? I think that’s what it was, and then the crazy thing about that Saudi Arabia. You know they seem like a real great people, and you gave us a lot of money, so thank you. I’m sure you lined my paycheck, and I appreciate that, but they get off a plane, and they go, and they randomly run into a guy from, like, the intelligence agency, and they go and stay with him.”
Despite his criticisms, Strickland acknowledged the financial benefits that come with UFC’s involvement in Saudi Arabia. The country has been putting serious money into combat sports, hosting major events and offering fighters lucrative paydays.
For now, Strickland remains one of the few willing to speak out about the UFC’s partnerships. Whether his words will have any impact or just add to his long list of controversial takes remains to be seen.
