Midnight Roundup! Sean Strickland on LGBTQ, UFC media "f***, marry, kill", Dricus du Plessis on "kissing dudes", and more

With the promotion's resident cut-throat speaker Sean Strickland featuring on this weekend's UFC 297 card, things are getting heated in the media interviews and press conferences.

Here are the top tidbits from the world of MMA brought to you by Sportskeeda's Midnight Roundup, including a surprise at the end.

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Sean Strickland goes off at UFC reporter over a "gay son" question

Sean Strickland has once again polarized social media with his latest comments about the LGBTQ community.

During the UFC 297 media day, the American singled out a Canadian reporter as the "enemy" for asking him to elaborate on his previous comment where he said he would reject if his son came out as a gay man.

Strickland started by asking the UFC reporter if he was gay himself. When the journalist responded that he was an ally of the community and he would have no problem if his son were gay, Strickland said:

"You're a weak f***ing man, dude. You're part of the f***ing problem. You elected Justin Trudeau... Ten years ago, to be a trans, was a mental f***ing illness, and now all of a sudden people like you have weaseled your way into the world. You're an infection. You're the definition of weakness."

However, he skirted around the topic of Bud Light, UFC's new beverage partner that came under fire for collaborating with Dylan Mulvaney, a transgender actor and activist.

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"F***, Marry, Kill?"

X account @MrTestoestrogen recently asked followers to choose from Laura Sanko, Megan Olivi, and Nina-Marie Daniele for the game "f***, marry, kill."

In most comments, fans went with Sanko, Olivi, and Daniele, respectively, to which 'Nina Drama' responded in a lighthearted manner:

"I’m killing it in MMA Media right now so f*ck everyone who said they would kill me LOL."

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Dricus du Plessis is comfortable with his sexuality

Sean Strickland made fun of Dricus du Plessis sharing a kiss with his coach; du Plessis followed it up with a comment about Strickland's childhood. Now, the UFC and the fans have a beef on their hands, culminating in the main event of this weekend's pay-per-view card.

However, du Plessis looked calm and collected during the media day, a stark opposite of Strickland's multiple rants. The South African revealed what Strickland told him over DM and vowed to not make fun of his opponent's childhood again. But he welcomed whatever Strickland wanted to say about him, as he was "completely comfortable with his sexuality".

Watch Dricus du Plessis' comment below:

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Saudi Arabia says no to YouTube boxing

Saudi Arabia has proven to be a rising power when it comes to hosting sports events, especially massive boxing cards. YouTube boxing or influencer boxing, meanwhile, is one of the most popular formats of the sport at the moment.

And yet, Saudi Arabia wants nothing to do with it. They only want to host fighters, according to His Excellency Turki Alalshikh, the current Chairman of the General Authority for Entertainment.

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Tom Aspinall does not bully

Tom Aspinall has no problem with fighting Alex Pereria at heavyweight, but he wants to clarify he's no size bully. There have been rumors of the two clashing at UFC 300.

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Georges St-Pierre's favorite Ninja Turtle

Ever since he retired from MMA, Georges St-Pierre has been a fun presence on social media. In his latest tweet, the former UFC champion pronounced his favorite Ninja Turtle. Turns out, Raphael is his favorite!

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Midnight Surprise!

Watch Sean Strickland and Dricus du Plessis shake hands and embrace in the hotel lobby in Toronto, despite their bitter beef:

Find the moment in the opening sequence of the UFC 297 Embedded: Vlog Series - Episode 3 below: