Sean Strickland is backing down from his fiery feud with David Goggins.
After the former UFC middleweight champion made some disparaging remarks about the U.S. Navy SEALs, Goggins, a former member of the elite military unit, offered a challenge to Strickland — three days of training in exchange for three rounds of boxing.
The two spent the next few days snapping back at one another on social media with Goggins laying down an ultimatum in his last video message.
In an interesting twist, Strickland issued an apology to Goggins, noting that his online attack on the ultramarathon runner came about because he was “bored and angry” while sitting on the sidelines waiting for his next shot at gold inside the Octagon.
“Ok fine… I’m sorry Goggins you’re cool I’m just bored and angry… You can show up but if not it’s cool man you’re a solid runner, you have some cool quotes… My mental stability is coming back lol,” Strickland wrote on Instagram.
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“Hey guys, if I had to be completely honest I think I’m just bored and angry,” Strickland says in the video. “I’m the number one contender, I got to wait for Izzy [Adesanya] and Dricus [Du Plessis] to get my shot. What does one do? I’m bored and angry. I’m training, I’m in shape, but what does one do? I’m just bored and angry.”
Strickland echoed a similar sentiment on X.
“Alright you guys I’m done making fun of Goggins, I trained, I feel good,” Strickland wrote. “Clarity I have to wait for Dricus and Izzy to fight.. I’m on the bench I’m just bored and angry and hurting people makes me feel good inside lol.. You’re cool goggins… keep on jogging my man….”
Perhaps we’ll still see Strickland and Goggins meet up at Xtreme Couture in Las Vegas someday, but for now, it appears as though both men are content to go their separate ways.
Sean Strickland is Chomping at the bit for his next UFC Title opportunity
Though no official announcements have been made, Sean Strickland should be the next man in line for a shot at the middleweight strap, just as soon as reigning champion Dricus Du Plessis handles some business with former two-time titleholder.
The two will tussle at UFC 305 on August 17 when the promotion heads back to Perth, Australia. There, Du Plessis will put his title on the line for the first time since securing a somewhat controversial split decision victory over Strickland at UFC 297 in January.
With Strickland bouncing back against Paulo Costa in June, ‘Tarzan’ re-established himself as the top-ranked contender in the division and is banking on challenging the winner of next month’s main event in The Land Down Under.
