To talk about Sean Strickland is to talk about one of the most controversial characters to have passed through the UFC in recent years. The American has not only stood out for his level inside the octagon, where he was proclaimed middleweight champion, but also for a personality outside the cage that has generated constant controversies.
His personal story already marked the beginning of that character. Strickland grew up in a complicated environment, with an abusive father and a conflictive adolescence. During that stage he became linked to extremist ideologies, something that he himself has acknowledged in interviews. The MMA ended up being his escape route and the sport that changed his life.
However, even after consolidating himself as a professional fighter, his behavior outside the octagon has continued to generate debate. Strickland is known for his unfiltered statements on social and political issues. He has openly criticized what he considers "woke ideology", has charged against gender politics and has made very harsh comments about the LGBT community, including statements in which he questioned sexual orientation within his own family.
He has also been the subject of controversy for his opinions on women and women's sport, going so far as to state that he is not interested in women's MMA and that society has changed in a direction that he does not share. These statements have generated constant criticism both inside and outside the world of MMA.
Another recurring theme in his speech is his stance on guns. Strickland has publicly defended the right to carry them and has even taken that speech to the context of his fights, something that has recently generated controversy again in the run-up to his fight.
That preview, precisely, has taken his figure to another level of tension. His confrontation with Khamzat Chimaev in UFC 328 has become one of the most intense rivalries of the moment. The exchange of statements between the two has escalated to unusual levels, with personal insults, attacks on his entourage and threats that have even forced the security of the event to be reinforced.
Strickland has accused Chimaev of being a "bully" and has made particularly harsh comments about his environment and his origin. For his part, the champion has not been left behind either, fueling a rivalry that already transcends the sporting.
To all this is added Strickland's own record in conflict situations. He has been involved in altercations outside of combat, has had disciplinary problems and his attitude at press conferences usually generates headlines for his aggressive or provocative responses.
But that is precisely the key to his character. For many fans, Strickland represents an authentic figure within an increasingly controlled sport. For others, he is a fighter who constantly crosses the line.
What is clear is that his fight against Chimaev is not just another fight. It is the clash between two completely opposite personalities, two ways of understanding the sport and two styles that promise more than just a fight.
And as is often the case with Sean Strickland, the fight does not start when the bell rings... it starts much earlier.