Sean Strickland has been blasted on the front page of the popular Australian newspaper The Daily Telegraph.
As Strickland gears up to make his second UFC title shot in a rematch against Dricus Du Plessis, he makes his usual rounds in the headlines. First, Strickland blasted Chimaev in a heated tirade, then ‘Tarzan’ traded barbs with Du Plessis at the UFC 312 press conference.
Now, he makes the national news, as The Daily Telegraph has pinned Strickland as the “UFC’s biggest imbecile.” The front page of their February 6 issue called out Strickland for his fight week tirades and begged, “Will someone, please knock this guy out.”
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Newspaper begs, ‘Will someone please knock this guy out’ as they brand Sean Strickland ‘UFC’s biggest imbecile’
Attending the UFC 312 pre-fight press conference, Strickland was taking questions when a fan took to the mic with a copy of the paper. They wanted Strickland’s response, and they got it.
“Bunch of communists, guys,” Strickland exclaimed. “I come to this f—— country and talk about freedom of speech and guns and taxes. And you got these f—— communists in the media trying to f—— put me down. Why? Because you wanna control the media and you don’t like freedom of speech.”
Despite the controversy, Strickland has been a crowd favorite with Australian fans throughout the fight week. Adding to his popularity is Alex Pereira, who joined Strickland’s corner for his fight.
UFC reshares newspaper headline featuring ‘Tarzan’
Adding insult to injury, the UFC reshared the newspaper front page on their social media accounts. No caption was needed.
While being a polarizing figure in the sport, Strickland certainly makes headlines. The UFC appears to be leaning into his heel persona, despite his attempts to assassinate their relationship with Saudi Arabia in the buildup to UFC 312.
With a win, Strickland will likely face Chimaev in a grudge fight. However, fans aren’t confident of his chances, seeing as old footage shows Strickland telling Chimaev he’s the “best.”