American fighter Sean Strickland suggested a Russian nuclear strike on his homeland would ‘toughen people up’
Stickland is well known for his controversial comments. © Chris Unger / Zuffa LLC
Sean Strickland, the American UFC fighter with a reputation for rarely straying too far from the controversial, has again landed himself in the firing line after admitting on a recent podcast that he “almost hopes” that Russia will launch nuclear strikes against the United States because he feels his countrymen have gotten “too soft.”
UFC middleweight Strickland made the comments on a recording of former heavyweight fighter Brendan Schaub’s ‘Food Truck Diaries’ podcast amid ongoing tensions between the two nuclear powers over the military situation in Ukraine.
Strickland suggested that perhaps a nuclear war would ‘toughen up’ some people within the United States.
“Bro, Americans are soft as f**k, too much f**kng Starbucks, life is too good for you motherf**kers,” Strickland told Schaub on the podcast.
“I’m almost hoping Russia f**kng nukes us just so our nuts get a little bigger dude.
“You guys are too soft. F**king beta males with f**king man buns and s**t…”
He later added: “I get along a lot with Russians and a lot of these ‘harder’ people. They’re not clowns, they’re just solid f**king guys and you come to America and you’ve got the Ronda f**king Rouseys. No offense, I know you [Schaub] like the girl, but you’ve got these f**king soft, weak [people].”
Strickland would also elaborate in the podcast on his thoughts that former UFC star Rousey was ‘weak’ for admitting she had suicidal thoughts in the wake of her first career defeat to Holly Holm.
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After the recording, Strickland took to Instagram to say that this would be the last podcast he would participate in in some time given his frequent habit of saying the wrong thing.
“Just finished a Brendan Schaub podcast,” he wrote.
“I think this might be the last one I do… I’m not stable enough to speak… after a while I start advocating for puppy murder. No further requests.
“Sorry guys, I hate podcasts. I hate podcasts because as I start talking, I get angry, my f**king filter drops, and I say s**t that is taken out of f**king context,” he added.
Strickland was knocked out in his most recent fight by Brazil’s Alex Pereira – a loss which snapped a six-fight win streak. He currently holds a record of 25-4 in professional MMA.
The American has been criticized in MMA circles for previous statements about the military situation in Ukraine, tweeting in late February that Ukraine should “just bend the knee and become Russian.”
The message provoked a stern response from the Polish former UFC light heavyweight champion Jan Blachowicz.
“It is easy to give away someone else’s independence,” Blachowicz wrote to Strickland.
“The history of the Eastern European region is full of struggle and suffering. Ukraine – as a country and as a people – has endured much. Their resistance is understandable and admirable. Freedom!”
Blachowicz later elaborated on his comments to MMA Fighting: “I would not say anything but he fights in the same company as me. We fight for the UFC so I think I have to answer to him because he doesn’t have any idea what’s happening.”
Strickland’s Twitter account has since been suspended.
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Meanwhile, Strickland has also previously spoken of having gone through a “white supremacist phase” in his youth, which he said in an interview with MMA reporter Ariel Helwani led to him being expelled from his school for participating in a hate crime.
Strickland has also drawn flak for speaking of his desire to end an opponent’s life during a mixed martial arts fight, as well as comments about the gay community.
