Model Nina-Marie Daniele has recently found herself at the center of controversy due to her interviews with prominent combat sports figures including Sean Strickland and Gordon Ryan. Known for her 1.3 million followers on Instagram, Daniele’s foray into combat sports media has raised eyebrows and sparked criticism from fans.
One interview that garnered attention was with Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu ace Gordon Ryan. In a question that veered into explicit territory, Daniele inquired about whether Ryan’s bleached hair and beard matched his hair “down there.” Ryan responded humorously, stating that it did not match and expressing concerns about chemical burns from previous experiments.
The provocative nature of Daniele’s interviews, including the one with Sean Strickland, has not been well received by most of combat sports fans. Many expressed their disapproval, highlighting the double standards that exist when it comes to gender. Comparisons were made, suggesting that if a male interviewer asked a similar question to a female athlete, it would not be tolerated.
Criticism also extended to Daniele’s overall approach to the interviews, with fans questioning her legitimacy as an MMA media representative.
Some praised other respected figures in the sport, such as Sanko and Olivi, who cover the sport with knowledge and respect. The contrast in style and professionalism was apparent, leading to further backlash against Daniele.
Daniele also staged a funny skit with Nick Rodriguez during the promotional week tied to UFCFPI4.
In another interview with Sean Strickland, the UFC middleweight made controversial remarks regarding his decision to participate in the interview. Strickland openly admitted that he agreed to the interview because of Daniele’s Instagram following and what he referred to as her “t-ties” being on display. He further commented on the awkwardness of the situation, as her intentionally provocative attire was a distraction during the interview.
While Daniele didn’t seem bothered by Strickland’s comments and even uploaded a snippet of his remarks on social media to generate interest in the full interview, she did offer a clarification that her breasts were propped up rather than hanging out.
Things escalated from there when Daniele was compared to Helen Yee and several other female journalists.
Ryan soon came to her defense asking for people to leave him out of the narrative and welcoming any and all advances from here.
John Davis is a dedicated practitioner of Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, having first started training in the martial art in 2011. Despite facing significant knee issues that have sidelined him for a period, John remains passionate about the sport and continues to follow all the latest developments in the BJJ community.