Sean Strickland comes clean about the nature of his relationship with Nina-Marie Daniele

UFC star Sean Strickland has built a reputation for his no-filter personality, often making waves with his candid interviews. One particular topic that has intrigued fans is his dynamic with popular UFC interviewer Nina-Marie Daniele. Their undeniable chemistry in interviews has sparked speculation about a possible romantic relationship.

However, Strickland recently put all rumors to rest, confirming that their connection is strictly platonic. Speaking in an interview with Full Violence, the former UFC middleweight champion dismissed any dating speculation, describing Daniele as 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 colour 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 comment below (3:43):

On the professional front, Strickland is gearing up for a high-stakes rematch against Dricus Du Plessis at UFC 312 on Feb. 8 in Sydney, Australia. The middleweight championship bout will be held at Qudos Bank Arena, where Strickland seeks redemption after losing his title to Du Plessis in a closely contested split decision last year.

Their first meeting was widely regarded as one of the best fights of 2024, showcasing relentless action and a razor-thin margin of victory for Du Plessis. Now, with tensions running high, Strickland is determined to reclaim his championship and settle the score.

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Sean Strickland shared his perspective on judging criteria ahead of rematch against Dricus du Plessis

Sean Strickland has openly criticized the current MMA judging criteria as he prepares for his UFC 312 rematch with reigning middleweight champion Dricus du Plessis.

In a candid ESPN interview with Brett Okamoto, Strickland questioned how brief moments—such as a five-second takedown—could unduly influence the outcome of a fight:

“It’s such a stupid scoring criteria... Like, you could take someone down and keep them down for five seconds, how do you then score that? You get f*cking nothing, You took me down for five seconds, I get up and now I’m outstriking you. How the f*ck do you score that? As a whole grand scheme of a fight, what did that accomplish? Absolutely f*cking nothing, but the judges, ‘Oh, his back touched the ground. That’s a point.’ This ain’t f*cking collegiate wrestling, we’re f*cking fighting.” [H/t: BJPenn]

Strickland, who lost the 185-pound title to du Plessis via split decision in early 2024, maintains that he should have emerged victorious. With this rematch, he vows to leave no room for controversy, ensuring his performance in the octagon speaks louder than any questionable scorecard.

Check out Sean Strickland's interview below: