Sean Strickland, known for his fiery personality, did not hold back during media day ahead of his fight with Paulo Costa at UFC 302 this Saturday. The middleweight fighter, who is coming off a loss to Dricus Du Plessis at UFC 297 in January, had plenty to say about the new gloves set to debut at the upcoming event.
In a no-holds-barred interview, Strickland criticized the new gloves, calling them out for being poorly designed and potentially leading to more cuts for fighters. He also expressed doubts about their ability to prevent eye pokes, attributing those fouls to fighter behavior rather than equipment.
When asked about the possibility of fighting without gloves in the future, Strickland dismissed the idea, particularly ruling out competing in the Bare Knuckle Fighting Championship (BKFC) due to what he perceives as low pay and high risk for fighters.
Strickland also took aim at influencer boxing, recounting a viral incident where he bloodied social media personality Sneako and issuing a warning to influencer boxer Bryce Hall. Even UFC star Conor McGregor wasn’t spared from Strickland’s sharp tongue, as he dismissed a study ranking McGregor as more attractive than him with colorful language.
With his unfiltered opinions and no-nonsense attitude, Strickland is sure to bring his trademark intensity to the octagon this weekend, making his fight against Costa one to watch for UFC fans.