Wearing a white t-shirt with the words “Cancel Me”, American UFC fighter Sean Strickland took a seat at his Sydney press conference recently, ahead of his UFC 293 fight.
“Oh man, that’s f***ing loud,” he said as he put the microphone to his lips.
“Kinda sucks when you hear yourself talk.”
It sucked for everyone listening as well – especially as he said to reporters: “Women don’t need to work, they need to stay home and raise a family.”
Strickland went on to say if all women vanished off the face of the earth, there would be no point to life.
“[There would be] no p***y, I’ve got to make my own food, fold my own laundry, what is the f***ing point?” he said.
Strickland has bragged to journalists about punching a man in the stomach at Bondi. The man allegedly “insulted” him.
The NSW opposition women’s spokesperson, Leslie Williams, brought Strickland’s behaviour to the attention of the NSW parliament on Wednesday, saying it was “extraordinary” that the government had “been silent” over the incidents.
“They owe communities across this state an explanation of how they can justify spending this money when we’re seeing fighters bragging about punching other people,” she said.
It’s not the first time Strickland has made sexist, homophobic remarks like the ones he made during the press conference. In fact, upon his arrival in Australia for the UFC tournament, the fighter made a post on social media about the “dirty liberals” he thought he would encounter in Sydney, “with gay and trans flags everywhere”.
Strickland’s shock value and supposedly deliberate provocation tends to go without consequence. He talks about his opponents using homophobic terms, he has previously said America “fucked up” by letting women vote (“No offence,” he follows-up with), and he believes women “need to be put back in the kitchen”. These are things he says – deliberately provocative or not – to his 300,000+ followers on his social media account.
Despite calling his recent comments “appalling” and saying they “shouldn’t be tolerated at all”, it seems NSW Premier Chris Minns is willing to let comments like this slide – as long as it’s good for the economy.
Responding to questions around the $16 million investment into the UFC event, Minns made the point that it has “driven a lot of traffic and interest in Sydney” and will be “massive for the economy”. Sports minister Steve Kemper said it could generate more than $30 million for the NSW economy.
Even the state’s minister for women, Jodie Harrison, said we shouldn’t let his comments tarnish the UFC as a legitimate sport.
“Blaming one specific sector or sport simplifies what is an extremely complex issue,” she said.
Which is true – sporting codes should not take the blame for views with the potential to cause harm to others.
When Rugby Australia cancelled Israel Folau’s contract over his controversial comments on social media, rugby union was never associated with his religious and cultural views. People still watch rugby games.
When Novak Djokovic refused to be vaccinated against COVID-19 during the peak of the global pandemic, the United States Tennis Association simply denied his eligibility in the US Open in 2022. Tennis never took a hit against his views – only Djokovic himself. People still watch tennis matches.
Failing to hold Strickland to account on the grounds of protecting the UFC as a “legitimate sport” isn’t all that strong then. Fans of the intense combat sport will still watch the UFC, with or without Strickland and his vile, harmful words.
The government will still get their ROI, the UFC fans will still get their tournament, and women will get a bit of respect. Everybody wins.