Sean Strickland has never been one to hold back his opinions, and the outspoken fighter recently voiced his frustration after learning he wasn’t included in the UFC’s new partnership with the Federal Bureau of Investigation.
The UFC recently announced that several fighters will serve as instructors to help train FBI agents in combat skills as part of a special program at the agency’s training academy. The lineup includes notable names such as Michael Chandler, Justin Gaethje, Jorge Masvidal, Renzo Gracie, Chris Weidman, Manel Kape, and Claudia Gadelha.
The program will take place at the FBI Special Agent Academy in Quantico, Virginia, where the fighters will teach federal agents various elements of mixed martial arts, including striking, wrestling, and grappling.
Despite the star-studded list, Sean Strickland quickly noticed that his name was missing. The former middleweight champion took to social media to express his disappointment in his signature blunt style.
“I can’t believe they didn’t pick me to train the FBI agents,” Strickland wrote on X.“I guarantee after 25 minutes they would have found the list.”
The comment, which referenced the controversial Epstein files, quickly gained traction online as fans reacted to Strickland’s typical no-filter humor.
While Sean Strickland may have missed out on the FBI training program, he remains in a strong position inside the Octagon.
The championship fight will take place at the Prudential Center and marks another opportunity for Strickland to reclaim the 185-pound belt.
Before the bout was officially announced, Strickland had already predicted that Chimaev would eventually be forced to defend the title.
“No, I think he will eventually,” Strickland said in a previous interview.“I think whenever the Chechen warlord says, ‘Alright, it’s time for you to go represent us,’ I think he’ll be forced to fight. I don’t think he likes fighting. I mean, fighting sucks. It’s scary, it’s hard, but I don’t think he’s a natural fighter. He’s a natural grappler, maybe.”
Sean Strickland earned his latest title shot following a dominant performance earlier this year. The former champion stopped Anthony Hernandez in the main event of UFC Houston, delivering a brutal knee to the body before finishing the fight with strikes in the second round.
Now, Strickland heads into one of the biggest fights of the year against the undefeated Chimaev.
While he may have missed the chance to train FBI agents, Sean Strickland will have a far bigger challenge ahead when he steps into the Octagon to try to reclaim UFC gold.
