Sean Strickland’s famously unfiltered atomic mouth was in full force at the UFC Houston press conference, where the former middleweight champion launched into a controversial tirade targeting women’s MMA. Strickland specifically criticized the recently announced bout between Ronda Rousey and Gina Carano, set for May 16 under Jake Paul’s MVP Promotions banner.
But he didn’t stop there. Strickland also took aim at former two-division champion Amanda Nunes, claiming the Brazilian legend could be defeated by any normal man, comments that quickly sparked backlash across the MMA community. Moreover, his general disdain for women’s rights and misogyny was on full display. While Paramount executives and UFC officials faced criticism for allowing Strickland’s remarks to go unchecked, ‘The Lioness’ chose to address the situation herself, delivering a sharp response to the outspoken former champion.
Amanda Nunes Takes Aim at Sean Strickland’s Childhood Incident in Blunt Rebuttal
For those unfamiliar with the situation, Strickland used the UFC Houston press conference to launch into a broader rant about women and traditional gender roles. He argued that women belong in the home for cooking, cleaning, and taking care of the household, and went on to claim that women have been given too much freedom.
Sean Strickland says ‘no one gives a f**k’ about women’s MMA and thinks the average man could beat up Amanda Nunes 😬
“We gotta remember what women excel at – having kids, being mothers, making food, cleaning the house. Problem is we’ve empowered them too much to ruin society.… pic.twitter.com/4bxYZylN2Q
— Championship Rounds (@ChampRDS) February 18, 2026
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He further asserted that no one cares about women’s MMA and that female empowerment has ruined society, comments that immediately ignited backlash.
Taking to Instagram, Amanda Nunes responded directly, writing, “We do everything he said, and to top it all off, LOL, we’re fighters too. Don’t cry, man.”
The jab was personal, to say the least. It appeared to reference Strickland’s emotional appearance on Theo Von’s This Past Weekend podcast, where he opened up about his troubled childhood and became visibly emotional.
That moment was initially brought into the spotlight by Dricus du Plessis during the heated build-up to UFC 297. For the unversed, Strickland has previously spoken about being abused by his father and enduring a difficult upbringing.
However, this is far from the first time Strickland has courted controversy. He has repeatedly drawn criticism for inflammatory remarks and social media posts. In a recent incident, he shared a meme depicting himself in an ICE uniform alongside fellow UFC fighter Anthony Hernandez, who is of Mexican descent, portrayed wearing a traditional Mexican hat and poncho, a post many viewed as offensive.
The backlash extended beyond the MMA sphere. Mainstream outlet Variety covered the controversy, while several public figures, including former NFL quarterback Robert Griffin III and UFC fighters Amanda Ribas, Luana Pinheiro, and Dee Begley, called on Paramount+ to respond.
As for UFC CEO Dana White, precedent suggests disciplinary action is unlikely. His stance has often fallen under the banner of free speech, as seen in last year’s controversy involving Bryce Mitchell and his widely criticized remarks on Adolf Hitler.
Meanwhile, Nunes had been slated to return to the Octagon at UFC 316 to challenge two-time Olympic gold medalist Kayla Harrison for the bantamweight title. However, Harrison recently underwent neck surgery, delaying the anticipated 135-pound championship clash.
Kshitiz Kumar Singh is a UFC Writer at NY Fights with over three years of experience in sports journalism and content creation. Known for his sharp storytelling and passion for combat sports, he has written in-depth features on stars like Brock Lesnar, Randy Couture, and Ilia Topuria. Before joining NY Fights, Kshitiz worked as a UFC Editor at EssentiallySports while currently serving as a WWE Editor at FirstSportz. His admiration for legends like Georges St-Pierre continues to inspire his detailed and engaging MMA coverage. Whether he’s covering the Octagon or the squared circle, Kshitiz is committed to delivering accurate, high-quality content. Outside the world of sports, he’s a dedicated cinephile, often found practicing monologues from his favorite Al Pacino films, combining his love for cinema with storytelling.