UFC Main Event Fighter Unleashes Sexist Tirade at Press Conference & Sparks Controversy
The atmosphere surrounding UFC Vegas 76 has been marred by comments made by its main event fighter Sean Strickland, as the middleweight fighter has gone on several sexist tirades at various media events.
During a live UFC press conference on June 28, Strickland expressed his belief that the decision to grant women the right to vote was an error, and suggested that women should be placed "back in the kitchen":
"We need to go back to taking women out of the workforce. Maybe that is where we f***** up, you guys, we let women vote, no offense. ... Think about America prior to women voting.
"We need to go back to taking women out of the workforce. Maybe that is where we f***** up, you guys, we let women vote, no offense. ... Think about America prior to women voting.
"...So what you did, man, you let these women come [into] the workforce, now we make less money, we got kids raising themselves on f****** TikTok. ... We need to put women back in the kitchen... only one man needs to be working.
"So I think as a collective man group, we need to elect somebody that's going to put women back in the kitchen, but one man working, raise the wages, and build a f****** wall."
At the very same conference, Strickland remarked, "I think people [like my authentic self]."
More debate was spurred when Strickland's interactions with female interviewer Nina-Marie Daniele involved elements that were widely perceived as objectifying and highly inappropriate, regardless of the rapport between the two:
"I have no shame, I am doing an interview with Nina because she has 1.3million followers on Instagram and her t****** hang out. ... You know what makes this more awkward, you guys? This is a real factual thing I'm saying.
"She intentionally makes her t****** hang out and her boyfriend is holding the camera while I'm trying not to look at her f****** t******. So when we talk about shame here, Nina, let's not go too deep --- Oh they're hanging out," Strickland shot down Daniele's rebuttal.
Whilst Strickland is known for his crude and quasi-satirical sense of humor, the incidents have garnered widespread attention and prompted discussions surrounding the moral integrity of the UFC and what the brand represents.
Famously, elite fighter Miguel Torres was swiftly evicted from the UFC roster after his infamous 'Rape Van' Tweet, and Forrest Griffin was held accountable for a rape related Tweet he made back in 2011.
Whilst Strickland's comments don't stoop so low, they do beg the question of whether the UFC is lagging behind other major sports organisations in terms of holding its athletes accountable for their backwards remarks.
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