Was it Paramount+ or the UFC? At the UFC Houston post-fight press conference, the promotion’s most outspoken fighter, former middleweight champion Sean Strickland, had just beaten Anthony Hernandez in the main event and took his seat for the press conference. Then, Paramount+ abruptly cut off his mic while he was talking about Hernandez’s coach, Jim West.

The sudden cut-off immediately raised eyebrows among fans toward Dana White & Co., who have long promoted the UFC as a “free speech” platform. Now, hours after the incident, Sean Strickland finally broke his silence.

“Yes, Paramount+ cut off the mic mid-speech last night. This f–king world has become so damn soft,” wrote Sean Strickland on a Facebook post.

Even before the event, UFC broadcasters’ staff had cut off Strickland’s microphone, but he had already stirred trouble for the UFC’s PR department all fight week with his blunt takes, filled with profanity. Throughout the week, he shared hot takes—from the ICE to the Puerto Rican rapper-singer Bad Bunny.

But that didn’t stop him. Even before labeling his opponent’s coach as a “predator,” Strickland again called out and slammed women’s MMA, including the upcoming Ronda Rousey vs. Gina Carano fight, dismissing the matchup entirely.

These moments, of course, bring numbers and popularity to the promotion, but also create extra headaches for the UFC. During his statements, Strickland didn’t spare division champion Khamzat Chimaev either.

Now, with Sean Strickland revealing that Paramount+ cut off his mic, fans are turning their attention to Dana White. Earlier, he had fired back with a blunt “f–k you” to a sponsor that asked him to delete a post supporting Donald Trump. Still, Dana White stood firm and defended his commitment to free speech, even under pressure from others.

Dana White calls out the media for fueling Sean Strickland’s remarks

Sean Strickland has become one of the most polarizing figures in sports, and he delivers a blast of honesty whenever the microphone reaches him. Unsurprisingly, this has generated a lot of buzz. Dana White has said he disagrees with about 95% of what comes out of Strickland’s mouth, but he emphasizes that the media knows Strickland’s nature and understands that he is always ready to share his opinions.

Although the staff cut Strickland’s mic at the end of the fight press conference, neither the UFC nor Paramount+ addressed his bold remarks. However, Dana White personally responded and blamed the media.

“It’s a nightmare, but you guys don’t help–asking him dumb sh-t,” White said at the post-fight press conference. “Ask dumb sh-t, you’re gonna get dumb sht. ‘What’d you think of Bad Bunny? What’d you think of the Super Bowl?’ Get the f–k outta here. You f–king kidding me?” So, when you talk about what Strickland says, you guys like to push the buttons.”

Interestingly, this isn’t the first time UFC CEO Dana White has blamed the media for putting words in Strickland’s mouth. Earlier, he also accused the media of baiting Strickland with LGBTQ questions.

So, what’s your take on Strickland’s bold remarks? Should broadcasters address them directly? Share your thoughts below.