Sean Strickland Rips DEI Corporate Sponsors before UFC 328: “Keep your money. Chinese kids to make shoes.”
Sean Strickland recently took aim at corporate sponsorships such as Nike ahead of his title challenge at UFC 328. The American Strickland heads into UFC 328 on May 9 at Prudential Center in Newark, New Jersey, to challenge middleweight champion Khamzat Chimaev for the title. The pair have traded sharp words online and in media sessions all week. Their history traces back to a gym sparring clip that leaked, showing tension between them.
Sean Strickland fires back at big brands before title shot: “Go f*** yourself”
During Thursday’s media day ahead of the bout, reporters asked Strickland about landing big sponsorships. He dismissed the idea outright. In the scrum, he laid into major brands:
“I dont give a f***. If Nike wants to come give me a logo, as you go and use little Chinese kids to make shoes. F*** these major companies. If you don’t want to sponsor me, go f*** yourself. You’re the problem dude, your DEI initiatives. I don’t need to be a rich man. I’m good. I can retire now. An extra million dollars. I dont give a f*** dude. Keep your money, you corporate scumbags.”
Strickland has Monster Energy as a sponsor but avoids promoting it during heated pressers. Nike once backed UFC fighters like Jon Jones and Anderson Silva in 2012, before Venum took over fight gear. His take fits past shots at corporate deals, such as the UFC’s Bud Light partnership.
Chimaev holds the belt after wins including one in August 2025, his last outing before this defense. Strickland lost the title to Dricus du Plessis in 2024 but bounced back with key victories. Extra security marks fight week due to their exchanges, like Strickland’s threat to carry a gun if attacked. Chimaev shrugged it off in a media workout, saying he waits in the lobby unafraid.
UFC 328 features this grudge match in the main slot. Pressers ran Thursday and Friday, with a White House tie-in event. Chimaev stays composed as the hunter, while Strickland keeps the volume up. Fans pack Newark for what could shift the 185-pound ranks.
