Blacklisted fighter? Sean Strickland to stage public protest after ban from White House UFC event

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Sean Strickland has already booked his flight to Washington for next week.

With ‘Freedom 250’ closing in, Donald Trump recently joked that he might leave the UFC octagon on the White House lawn now that it’s been built.

The event will be seen by millions worldwide, but only a select few will be there in person, with security tighter than ever. The matchup between Michael Chandler and Conor McGregor is one of the most talked-about fights in recent memory.

Even though he’s one of the few American champions left, Strickland says he’s not allowed to be at the event on June 14. Still, that hasn’t stopped him from speaking out. Strickland took to social media again this week, standing by what he said last time.

Sean Strickland calls on fans to protest outside Freedom 250 after being denied entry

Sean Strickland recently claimed in a series of videos that UFC officials told him he’s not allowed to attend the White House card scheduled for June 14.

In his explanation, he laughed while pretending to apologise and “repent” for some of his past comments about Donald Trump.

“Apparently, I’m not American enough to go to Freedom 250, but I’ve still got my ticket,” Strickland said in a video posted on X, which was captioned: “BTW we’re still gonna go. I’ll bring a bullhorn.”

“You guys, I already bought my plane ticket. We’re going,” he continued in another video. “I’m gonna bring the belt, I’m gonna get a big bullhorn, and we’re gonna go right up to the gates. So if you guys are going to be there, let’s go. Not in a threatening way, we’re gonna do a peaceful protest.”

Dana White has invited several celebrities to the event, with many tickets also set aside for active military personnel who follow the promotion.

With that guest list and given its location at the White House, tight security was always expected. The need for clearance isn’t surprising, but keeping Strickland out was bound to draw a reaction from him.

He had previously backed Brandon Royval’s decision not to fight at this event over concerns about competing in front of an exclusive crowd rather than regular fans.