After UFC 302 win, Sean Strickland addresses "travesty" done to Donald Trump: "I’ll be donating to you"
Sean Strickland extended his support to former United States President Donald Trump after he was found guilty of a hush money case and other felony charges. Strickland is a staunch Trump supporter who has repeatedly backed his policies.
The former UFC middleweight champion defeated No.7-ranked Paulo Costa by split decision at UFC 302. Trump was one of the high-profile attendees at the event and received massive applause from the audience. While speaking in the octagon interview, Strickland strongly condemned Trump's conviction and pledged his support to the 77-year-old:
"Hey, President Trump, you're the man, bro. It is a damn travesty what they're doing to you. I'll be donating to you, my man. Let's get it done."
Catch Strickland's comments below (2:10):
Sean Strickland wanted to put on a good show for "convicted felon" Donald Trump at UFC 302
Many expected Sean Strickland vs. Paulo Costa to be an exciting back-and-forth battle due to the stylistic matchup. The fight had moments of excitement but it was largely a tactical affair as Costa tried to inflict damage from the outside instead of engaging with Strickland.
While speaking at the UFC 302 post-fight press conference, Strickland said that he wanted Costa to engage and make the fight entertaining for the fans. He then joked about having thoughts of wanting to perform well for Donald Trump:
"Trump is here, man! Come on, now! We've got a convicted felon. Let's put on a show for this man!"
Speaking further, Strickland praised the former United States President's personality and shed light on their interaction:
"Trump is the man. You guys ever meet Trump? I thought I wouldn't like the guy. I mean, he h***s up with models all the time, he has a lot of money, like, I'm a little jealous. But no, you meet him and he's actually a solid guy. Asked me about how my woman is doing, gets to know you, he's a good dude, man!"
Catch Sean Strickland's comments below (1:40):
Strickland's UFC 302 victory marked his return to the win column after losing the middleweight title to Dricus du Plessis at UFC 297. While Strickland appeared to have done enough to win most of the rounds, one of the judges, Dave Tirelli scored the fight in Costa's favor. The MMA community has strongly condemned the scoring and UFC CEO Dana White even called for a ban on Tirelli.