Nina-Marie Daniele name-drops four UFC fighters, including Sean Strickland, whose "insane and loyal fan base" rivals Jon Jones and Islam Makhachev's

MMA personality Nina-Marie Daniele recently responded to a fan poll listing Ilia Topuria, Jon Jones, and Islam Makhachev as the UFC’s biggest names outside of Alex Pereira.

In her response, she highlighted four fighters with equally passionate fan followings: Khamzat Chimaev, Sean Strickland, Charles Oliveira, and Sean O’Malley. She wrote on X:

"Khamzat Chimaev, Sean Strickland and Charles Oliveira and Sean O’Malley have an insane and loyal fan base!"

Check out Nina-Marie Daniele's post below:

O’Malley, known for his flashy style and knockout power, rose to prominence after defeating Aljamain Sterling for the bantamweight title. However, his reign was cut short by Merab Dvalishvili at UFC 306. Recovering from shoulder surgery, he is now eying a rematch in 2025.

Oliveira, the record-holder for most finishes in UFC history, became lightweight champion after defeating Michael Chandler in 2021. Despite losing his belt due to a weight miss, he remains a fan favorite and faced Chandler again at UFC 309.

Strickland, a polarizing figure in the UFC roster, shocked the MMA world by dethroning Israel Adesanya at UFC 293. However, his middleweight title reign was brief, as he lost the belt in his first defense to the current champion Dricus du Plessis.

---

When Sean Strickland addressed the nature of his relationship with Nina-Marie Daniele

UFC star Sean Strickland and his interactions with UFC interviewer Nina-Marie Daniele have often fueled speculation, with some fans wondering whether their chemistry in interviews suggests something more than a professional relationship.

Strickland, however, has put those rumors to rest. In an interview with Full Violence, the former UFC middleweight champion dismissed any romantic connection, clarifying that he sees Daniele as nothing more than a little sister.

Strickland said:

“She's like a little sister... Like, once you get to know Nina, it's not like, Nina, like the Playboy, whatever the f**k she did. I don't know if she did but it's not like her like the hot little [censored] photo she posts. You get to know Nina, bro and it's like uncomfortable."

"It's like I'll be making jokes, and she'll try to like match my energy and she'll say something like off color and I'm like, 'Nina that's gross like shut the f**k up…' You guys don't know her, you get to know her, Nina's dope dude… Nina's like a little sister to me, even the thought of it makes me feel gross. You guys got her wrong.”

Check out Sean Strickland's comments below (3:43):