UFC middleweight champion Sean Strickland took to social media on Wednesday to claim that he had been removed from the UFC’s planned event at the White House celebrating the United States’ 250th Independence Day, sarcastically suggesting it was because he was not “Israeli enough.”
Strickland alleged that his criticism of Israel and US involvement in the conflict with Iran led to his exclusion from the event, though he provided no evidence to support the claim.
Responding to fans who asked why he would not be attending, Strickland posted a video in which he mocked the alleged decision.
“Well, you guys, I’m not surprised, but I got the call,” Strickland said. “UFC higher-ups called me, big names, and they said, ‘Sean, I’ve got to apologize. You’re not Israeli enough to go to UFC 250, Israel edition.'”
The champion continued the sarcastic theme throughout the video, joking that he wanted to prove he was “Israeli enough” to attend.
“You know, I think moving forward I’d like to just apologize to Israel,” Strickland said. “I’d like to apologize to [President] Trump, and I just want to prove I am Israeli enough for you guys.”
Later in the video, Strickland expanded his criticism to US foreign policy.
“I apologize when Trump goes and bombs the f**k out of Iran, [something] that no American agrees with. The costs Americans $5,000 to $15,000 takes thousands of dollars from Americans to fight Israel’s war. Sorry, I want to apologize,” Strickland said. “Or when Trump says, ‘I have 99% approval rating in Israel,’ while his support percentage in the US is at a low. “I want to apologize.”
The UFC has long been known for taking a permissive approach toward athletes’ public statements. In 2014, UFC President Dana White defended fighters’ freedom of expression, saying, “I don’t give anybody a leash. I don’t tell any other human being what to say, what to think. Free speech, brother. People can say whatever they want, and they can believe whatever they want.”
Neither the UFC nor White House officials have publicly commented on Strickland’s claims.
