UFC middleweight Sean Strickland doesn’t worry about what people think about his personality ahead of his second straight UFC main event.
Strickland will face arguably the toughest test of his professional career against Jack Hermansson at UFC Vegas 47. He’s looking to win his sixth straight and move closer to a potential title shot.
But since his last win over Uriah Hall, many have been talking about Strickland’s out-of-competition behavior more than his skillset inside the cage. He’s seen as a controversial character on social media who has offended some regarding his views on homosexuality and other issues.
During his UFC Vegas 47 pre-fight press conference, Strickland explained why he doesn’t care how he is perceived by the UFC fanbase.
Sean Strickland Responds To Criticisms Of His Brash Personality
“I’m getting to a point where I can say sh*t and not get cut from the UFC,” Strickland said. “Before, it’s like – oh man, I wasn’t good. Like, I couldn’t say sh*t because Dana White would be like, ‘Hey, go f*ck that white trash motherf*cker. Get him out of here.’ But now, since I’m growing a little bit more like, you know, fan base, people want to watch me fight, I can say a lot more offensive sh*t.”
Strickland has ruffled plenty of feathers during his rise in the middleweight division. Kevin Holland recently explained his disdain for Strickland’s antics outside of the cage and called for a fight at some point.
Strickland has picked up a series of impressive wins since making the move from welterweight to middleweight. He’s earned victories over Uriah Hall and Krzysztof Jotko after an up-and-down tenure at 170 pounds which included a loss to current champion Kamaru Usman.
Strickland has the opportunity to silence the haters once again this weekend in arguably the biggest fight of his career.
What is your prediction for Sean Strickland vs. Jack Hermansson?