Sean Strickland makes provocative statement on "Catholic church" after female Bishop urges Donald Trump to "have mercy" on minorities

Sean Strickland recently stirred controversy with his outspoken remarks about the Catholic Church following a female bishop's appeal to Donald Trump. 'Tarzan' is celebrated for his unconventional fighting style and equally infamous for his penchant for igniting debates with bold and often divisive statements.

Strickland frequently leverages his interviews and social media platforms to voice his candid opinions on a broad spectrum of social and political issues. On Tuesday, the 33-year-old Californian targeted Mariann Budde, the Episcopal bishop of Washington, after she made a personal request to the 47th president of the United States, Trump, urging him to “have mercy upon” communities that will be impacted by the administration’s immigration and LGBTQ policies.

Check out Mariann Budde's comments below:

The former UFC middleweight champion turned to X and lashed out at Budde with a profanity-laden accusation, criticizing her plea while referring to her as a member of the Catholic Church:

"Catholic church: 'Well, there is too much boy f**king, time to get some angry lesbians."

Check out Sean Strickland's post below:

Budde's fervent appeal was made during the interfaith prayer service, a post-inauguration tradition held at the Washington National Cathedral, just one day after Trump's swearing-in ceremony.

'Tarzan' is poised to challenge reigning 185-pound champion Dricus du Plessis in a highly anticipated title rematch that will headline UFC 312 on Feb. 9 at the Qudos Bank Arena in Sydney, Australia.

Strickland's most recent appearance was at UFC 302 in June 2024, where he secured a gritty split decision victory over Paulo Costa. Before that, he was dethroned by du Plessis at UFC 297 in January.

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Fans react to Sean Strickland’s criticism of Mariann Budde’s appeal

Fans reacted to Sean Strickland's outburst toward bishop Mariann Budde's appeal to Donald Trump with a mix of responses. Many supported the polarizing MMA fighter's perspective, while others corrected his mistake, pointing out that Budde is not affiliated with the Catholic Church but is Episcopal.

One fan wrote:

"I don’t think she’s Catholic, but I could be wrong, but angry lesbian was funny."

Another wrote:

"She was an angry little elf."

Another commented:

"Episcopal, not Catholic. Walk by any episcopal church; they're dying, and they went woke years ago."

Check out some more reactions below:

Comments on Sean Strickland's post.