Bad Bunny was one of the targets of an unhinged, expletive-laden rant by UFC fighter Sean Strickland, who used a homophobic slur while criticizing the Super Bowl halftime show and questioning the direction of the NFL.
Speaking at a Paramount media day conference ahead of his upcoming fight with Anthony Hernandez, Strickland refused to initially say the Puerto Rican artist’s name while referencing the halftime performance.
“I don’t even want to say the name,” he said, before asking reporters to provide it.
After someone responded with Bad Bunny’s name, Strickland referred to him using a homophobic slur and criticized the league for featuring what he described as a “gay foreigner.”
Strickland ranted: “‘Yeah, that f***ing f****t. It’s so crazy that this is America now. Like, back in the day dude, the NFL was the f***ing standard of being a f***ing man.
“And now every f***ing year, the NFL, I think they all get together around a table and say, ‘You know what, guys? How do we f***ing ruin this sport? How do we gay it up? How do we f***ing ruin it?
“Well, I’ll tell you what. Why don’t we bring a gay foreigner who doesn’t speak f***ing English and have him perform it?”
His remarks quickly drew backlash on social media, with many calling for him to be dropped by the UFC and pointing out the obivous fact that Puerto Ricans are U.S. citizens.
Bad Bunny and the NFL were far from the only targets of Strickland’s bizarre comments, with the middleweight fighter also making wildly offensive statements about women and trans people during the press conference.
Backlash from athletes and media figures
Former NFL quarterback Robert Griffin III responded sharply on X, writing: “Sean Strickland got hit so hard by a foreigner that he forgot Puerto Ricans are US citizens. Not to mention that this misogynistic cry baby would get tossed like salad if he ever stepped foot on a football field in the NFL. Worry about not getting knocked out in your next fight.”
Strickland later addressed the criticism on X, posting: “There has been a corporate conspiracy to destroy America for awhile now. Income, family…. Just another step of stripping our identity away from us.
“They want you to be less of you and more of a mindless consumer. There is a reason why our IQ is getting lower. Manufactured.”
History of controversy
The 34-year-old fighter has a record of inflammatory remarks.
In 2021, he posted on social media that he would feel he had “failed as a man” if he had a gay son. In 2022, he shared a video of himself showering with an AK-47 rifle, describing it as “the most American thing you can do.” .
In January 2024, Strickland also made comments criticizing women’s MMA, questioning its popularity and comparing female fighters unfavorably to male competitors.
Strickland is scheduled to face Anthony Hernandez in the main event of Saturday night’s UFC Fight Night in Texas..
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