Sean Strickland has once again stirred up controversy on social media with his latest jab at Brazilian jiu-jitsu practitioners. Known for his outspoken nature and provocative statements, Strickland took to Instagram to share a meme that poked fun at the often awkward-looking positions in BJJ.
The meme featured an image of UFC stars Gillian Robertson and Michelle Waterson-Gomez in a compromising grappling position, humorously suggesting that such scenes always occur when parents walk in on BJJ training. Strickland captioned the post with a dismissive comment, “No idea why people do bjj,” further emphasizing his apparent disdain for the martial art.
Interestingly, Strickland himself holds a black belt in Brazilian jiu-jitsu, a fact that adds a layer of irony to his mockery. In December last year, he even shared a video of himself throwing his black belt in the trash, accompanied by a statement claiming that the fighting style is ineffective in mixed martial arts.
This latest social media stunt comes as Strickland awaits his next bout in the Octagon. Having defeated Paulo Costa via split decision at UFC 302 in June, he is widely expected to challenge Dricus du Plessis for the middleweight title, though no official date has been set.
Strickland’s provocative online presence extends beyond the realm of martial arts. He has been engaged in an ongoing feud with musician Machine Gun Kelly, which began after an altercation at a Power Slap event earlier this year. The back-and-forth between the two has continued, with Kelly recently addressing the situation on the Impaulsive podcast, advising Strickland to “shut up” and stop mentioning him..
Strickland also recently opened up on being intimidated by the prospect of training with Gabi Garcia the first time he met her despite his macho persona.
But it’s not all bad. Former UFC middleweight champion Sean Strickland recently resolved an online feud with a Navy SEAL and BJJ black belt through an intense sparring session that drew widespread attention from the MMA community.
The clash, fueled by social media exchanges, saw Strickland dominate the encounter with his superior MMA skills, leading to a decisive victory. Despite the tension leading up to the bout, the most surprising outcome was the mutual respect that developed between the two afterward.
