Strickland

UFC middleweight champion Sean Strickland was escorted out of a UFC Freedom 250 fan fest near the White House on Sunday evening for his own safety and the safety of other attendees, according to the U.S. Park Police.

Strickland was not on the card for the UFC event held on the White House South Lawn in connection with a summer-long celebration of the nation’s 250th anniversary. Instead, the 35-year-old fighter attended a viewing event on the Ellipse, causing a stir among fans as he eventually entered a wrestling ring set up in the area.

“At approximately 7 p.m., the U.S. Park Police received report of a disturbance within the UFC event,” the agency said in a statement emailed to The Times. “The unplanned presence of Sean Strickland drew significant attention from attendees, resulting in disorder. Due to concerns for Strickland’s safety and the safety of event patrons, personnel from the U.S. Marshals Service, U.S. Park Police, and other assisting agencies evacuated him safely from the area.”

In videos posted to his Instagram Story from, during and after the incident, Strickland states he “might be going to jail” and “may have been charged with disorderly conduct.”

However, the Park Police said that is not the case.

“Strickland was neither cited nor arrested in connection with the incident,” the agency said. “However, he was advised not to return to the venue for his own and public safety. USPP escorted him to his hotel without incident.”

Strickland was once a supporter of President Trump but has become a vocal critic over such issues as the Jeffrey Epstein files and the war with Iran. Still, he had expressed interest in attending UFC Freedom 250, which took place on Trump’s 80th birthday, but has said on X that the UFC told him he “wasn’t cleared by the white house.”

UFC president and chief executive officer Dana White has said that nobody, including Strickland, was banned from the event.

On Saturday, Strickland posted on X that he wanted to attend the fan fest on the Ellipse.

The next day, he posted a video on Instagram that shows him doing just that. Apparently filmed by the MMA star as he was being led through the crowd by another man (Strickland later said on X that a fan “snuck me in”), the video shows Strickland trying to avoid being recognized until getting to the ring.

Once there, however, he basked in the attention of a large crowd that chanted, “U-S-A! U-S-A!”

Strickland also posted a photo to Instagram of himself being escorted barefoot out of the event, with the caption “NOT AMERICAN ENOUGH.”

Khamzat Chimaev kicked Sean Strickland – despite the presence of armed police on stage – as the pair faced off following an ugly news conference before UFC 328 on Saturday.

A bitter and personal exchange escalated even further when Chimaev, despite being held back by UFC security, beckoned Strickland towards him as the pair traded insults, before launching a kick at the American.

As the crowd roared, security and armed police escorted each fighter off stage in separate directions as they continued to hurl expletives at each other.

Tensions have threatened to boil over throughout fight week, with Russian-Emirati middleweight champion Chimaev set to defend his belt against American Strickland in Newark, New Jersey on Saturday.

It is not uncommon for UFC fighters to insult each other in the hope of building hype around a fight, but Strickland has been particularly volatile while addressing Chimaev – launching derogatory and racist comments which have attacked his religion and heritage.

Last week, Strickland threatened to shoot Chimaev if the 32-year-old and his team-mates confronted him in the build-up to the fight.

In response, the UFC has hired extra security to protect each fighter and reportedly kept the pair in separate hotels.

Chimaev has been calm and reserved during fight week, despite Strickland’s derogatory comments, but was animated during the news conference.

Before the pair had even taken their seats, security had to intervene and, as Strickland continued to goad Chimaev, he responded with ugly comments about childhood trauma which the American has spoken about in the past.

“You’re making fun of child abuse,” replied Strickland, who followed up with further expletives.

When asked if he enjoyed the bitter rivalry between Chimaev and Strickland, UFC president Dana White – who was stood between the pair – responded “it is what it is”.

He previously described it as a “top-three” heated rivalry of all time in the UFC.

Despite the offensive comments from Strickland and Chimaev, it is unlikely the UFC will take any disciplinary action with White a vocal supporter of free speech.

“I think probably the most important free speech to protect is hate speech,” White said last year.

“Because when a government or a certain person can come out and determine saying ‘this is hate speech’, it’s a very slippery slope and it’s dangerous, in my opinion.”

Strickland did not appear to be hurt by Chimaev’s kick and afterwards wrote “exactly what I expected a coward to do”, on social media.

It is unclear whether the New Jersey Athletic Control Board will punish Chimaev for the altercation.