Derek Moneyberg Files Defamation Lawsuit Against Sean Strickland
Derek Moneyberg, known off the mats as online wealth coach Dale Buczkowski, has initiated a defamation suit against former UFC middleweight champion Sean Strickland. The suit stems from a heated hallway confrontation in Las Vegas in late August, during which Strickland publicly accused Moneyberg of exploiting low-paid fighters to promote financial schemes. Moneyberg’s complaint alleges that Strickland’s statements are “maliciously spreading lies and false information” about his business and personal reputation.
Derek Moneyberg to Sue Sean Strickland
Moneyberg first encountered Strickland at a hotel in Las Vegas. In a video that went viral, Strickland accused Moneyberg of “taking advantage of low-paid UFC fighters who are great men, who are just trying to make their mortgage and live a life… And he takes advantage of these men and he uses their platform to peddle financial scams.” Strickland’s remarks focused on Moneyberg’s practice of hiring professional fighters – among them former UFC contenders and BJJ world champions – to promote his financial coaching programs.
On September 27, Moneyberg issued a statement on X (formerly Twitter) announcing his intent to pursue legal action. He wrote, “I’ve informed him, and others have informed him, that he is maliciously spreading lies and false information about me and my business. He has had numerous opportunities to stop and apologize. He continues to spread lies, however, so now we will go to court, and Sean will reimburse me for the damages he has created.”
Strickland responded within hours via social media, challenging Moneyberg to back up his claims under oath. In his reply, Strickland noted that a deposition would require Moneyberg’s paid spokespeople – fighters whom he alleges were compensated hundreds of thousands of dollars – to testify about the arrangements. “When you sue me and we call in Jake Shields and in a room full of people we put him in a deposition where he said ‘he’s good but I mean he paid me over half a million’ – how do you think I know you exist? Fighters who you paid to peddle your BS sent me your page,” Strickland wrote.
He concluded by inviting Moneyberg to settle matters physically at an Extreme Couture gym under waiver.
Moneyberg’s track record in court includes a prior defamation suit against YouTuber Spencer Cornelia, which Cornelia successfully defended under Nevada’s anti-SLAPP statute. That case reportedly took years and substantial legal fees to resolve, culminating in a dismissal that awarded Cornelia court costs and attorneys’ fees. Legal analysts suggest Moneyberg’s new suit against Strickland may face similar challenges, particularly if the court applies anti-SLAPP provisions to protect Strickland’s speech concerning matters of public interest.
Defamation claims require proving that statements are false, published with at least negligence regarding their truth, and caused quantifiable harm. Moneyberg will bear the burden of demonstrating that Strickland acted with the requisite fault and that his statements went beyond permissible opinion or rhetorical hyperbole. Strickland, by contrast, will likely argue that his comments were expressions of opinion on a public figure in a public forum and that they rest on a factual basis involving Moneyberg’s unconventional path to a black belt and his business practices.
