Sean Strickland has found himself at the center of another controversy ahead of UFC Freedom 250 at the White House. The UFC middleweight champion claims he has been prevented from attending the historic June 14 event in Washington, D.C.
The situation quickly sparked debate across the MMA community, drawing reactions from fighters including Justin Gaethje and Bryce Mitchell.
Meanwhile, Strickland is facing criticism online over a recent AI-generated video shared on social media.
Sean Strickland Barred From UFC White House Event over Israel?
Strickland first addressed the situation through social media before expanding on it in a video posted online. According to Strickland, UFC officials informed him that he would not be attending UFC Freedom 250.
He suggested the decision was connected to recent political comments he has made regarding Israel, although no official reason has been publicly confirmed.
Strickland said he had already planned to travel to Washington for the event and indicated he still intends to make the trip. He said he plans to gather outside the venue and stage what he described as a peaceful protest.
After the backlash, he doubled down, humourously claiming that the White House was “promised” to him 3,000 years ago, while dress as a Hasidic jew.
Strickland and Justin Gaethje Exchange Words
The story heated up as Justin Gaethje became involved in the discussion. Responding to criticism surrounding his participation on the White House card, Gaethje posted:
“You are dumb as f*ck, you bash our country every chance you get and expect to step foot on the White House grounds. Have a party with the rest of your American hating goons.”
Strickland responded on social media, calling Gaethje a “traitor” and a consumer of “goy slop.”
Bryce Mitchell Responds to the Controversy
Bryce Mitchell was asked about Strickland’s situation during media appearances ahead of his upcoming fight with Santiago Luna (full predictions here). The Arkansa native expressed support for freedom of speech and said he was not surprised by the controversy.
“I’m not surprised at all. I mean, it, you know, freedom of speech is what really makes this country great. And when you can’t criticize a foreign nation, a foreign nation, come on, man. We ought to be able to criticize our own nation, let alone a foreign nation.”
“In fact, that’s the only nation you’re not allowed to criticize, you know? So, uh, something’s going to change because evil empires don’t last forever. There’s always a rebellion. You ever seen Star Wars? That’s what’s going to happen, bro. Darth Vader’s going to get took down.”
He also offered mild criticism of the UFC Freedom 250 White House event, “Government should protect us, not entertain”, though he said he would not be averse to fighting on the card.
AI Video Featuring Dylan Mulvaney Draws Backlash
Strickland also came under fire this week after sharing an AI-generated video depicting himself fighting social media personality Dylan Mulvaney.
This came after an AI video of Sean versus another LGBT icon surfaced. In this rendering, we can see the middleweight champion teeing off on the influencer, who is set to have their first boxing match this summer.
Are Sean’s Isreal Comments Really the Reason He Was Banned?
All we have to go by here is Sean’s word, of course. While neither the UFC, the White House or even Israeli representatives have responded, we should not be surprised that UFC honchos do not want any controversy surrounding UFC Freedom 250.
We can only imagine the chaos if a personality like Sean Strickland would try to steal the show, whether or not his takes have any merit. And I am sure that Donald Trump’s closest ally (Bibi Netanyahu) would not be happy with any negative comments on his country’s policies.
UFC Freedom 250 Is Already Taking Shape
This one-of-a kind takes place on Sunday, June 14, 2026. The historic card will be headlined by a lightweight title fight between Ilia Topuria and Justin Gaethjje. It is scheduled to take place on the South Lawn of the White House in Washington, D.C., coinciding with Flag Day and President Donald Trump’s 80th birthday.
Meanwhile, the constuction is fully underway, and Donald Trump has even suggested he wants to keep the setup even after the event.