“You’re An Easy Fight”: Streamer Steiny Gets HUMILIATED By Former UFC Champ
Social media influencer Aaron Steinberg, better known as Steiny, recently engaged in casual back-and-forth with a former UFC champion.
Steinberg, who is also a member of the Nelk Boys, a popular creator group behind the wildly successful Full Send brand, is known for collaborating with prominent figures in the combat sports world. He has already partnered with several UFC fighters on videos, including former middleweight champion Sean Strickland.
Steiny frequently takes part in friendly sparring sessions with UFC fighters for his videos and now appears to believe he could hold his own against a trained professional if necessary.
However, former UFC bantamweight champion Dominick Cruz has pushed back on that confidence, dismissing Steinberg’s assessment of his combat sports abilities as unrealistic.
Dominick Cruz Pours Cold Water on Steiny’s Overconfidence In His Combat Skills
During a recent episode of his Love & War podcast, Dominick Cruz welcomed Steiny and offered a candid assessment of the social media influencer’s fighting capabilities.
Aaron Steinberg’s conversation focused on his experiences sparring with UFC lightweight champion Ilia Topuria and former bantamweight titleholder Cody Garbrandt. Steiny reflected on a session with “El Matador,” acknowledging that although he shared the most flattering moments on social media, the reality was far more grueling. He admitted the spar left him with a bloody mouth and such intense jaw pain that he struggled to eat the following day.
However, the Nelk Boys member insisted he stepped into the ring “trying to get the dub,” a remark that prompted Cruz to question his sense of realism. “The Dominator” dismissed the claim before asking in disbelief, “You really thought you were going to beat Topuria?”
As the discussion continued, Steiny admitted he was wary of Garbrandt, suggesting that past tension with the Nelk Boys might lead the fighter to “kill” him in a hypothetical matchup. The UFC champion turned analyst quickly pushed back on that belief, emphasizing that seasoned professionals tend to approach such situations with calculated logic rather than emotion.
“He [Garbrandt] knows who to beat up to get up the ladder the fastest, and you’re definitely an easy fight,” Cruz said.
“The Dominator” explained that fighters understand that dropping a well-known streamer in decisive fashion can generate significant online traction while presenting little in the way of real competitive danger.
Steiny was quick to push back, questioning how Cruz could be so certain about his abilities. That challenge prompted the 40-year-old Californian to deliver what may be his most pointed critique of the exchange.
Dismissing the idea that fighters cannot be judged at a glance, Cruz argued that in combat sports, body language and movement reveal everything. The MMA legend added that both he and Garbrandt could easily spot the gaps in Steiny’s skill set, which, in his opinion, would strongly favor the former champion.
