Sean Strickland may have ignored a dire warning from the brass after Bryce Mitchell fiasco, theorizes former fighter on Joe Rogan's UFC 312 show

Sean Strickland has never been one to filter his words, and he certainly might not start now, even as controversy swirls around the UFC's stance on free speech. While featherweight contender Bryce Mitchell faced immense backlash for his insensitive comments about Adolf H*tler, Strickland’s response at UFC 312 media day suggested he had no interest in playing it safe.

Instead, he doubled down on his unapologetic persona. UFC CEO Dana White had previously condemned Mitchell’s statements as ignorant and beyond disgusting, but stopped short of imposing any disciplinary action, citing free speech.

The fallout from Mitchell’s comments on his podcast had led many to wonder if other fighters would tread more carefully. However, Strickland made it clear he wasn’t one of them. At the UFC 312 press conference, he spoke about Mitchell’s alleged radicalization and the complexities of geopolitical conflicts, specifically the Israel-Palestine conflict.

Former fighters and analysts speculated on Joe Rogan’s UFC 312 Fight Companion show that Strickland may have been cautioned behind closed doors to avoid stirring further controversy, especially in the wake of Mitchell’s debacle. However, his statements suggested defiance rather than compliance.

Former UFC heavyweight contender Brendan Schaub said:

"You think the UFC is like, 'Hey man, after the recent Bryce Mitchell stuff, let's chill out.' And he's [Strickland] like, 'You got it."

Rogan agreed with Schaub's assessment and claimed that Strickland "went harder" with his controversial opinions.

Check out the discussion below (2:19:00):

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Sean Strickland talks about UFC 312 loss to Dricus du Plessis

Sean Strickland remained positive after his UFC 312 loss, expressing gratitude for his life and career. He showed no regrets and embraced the moment despite losing the rematch to Dricus du Plessis.

He also joked about dealing with a broken nose mid-fight, mentioning how movies exaggerate the difficulty of resetting it. Strickland had to adjust his nose multiple times during the fight after du Plessis shattered it with a powerful blow in the fourth round.

Strickland posted a message on Instagram after the loss, writing:

"Couldn't ask for a better life. Also, they make setting a broken nose look way harder in movies. I think I had to reset it 3 times in the fight. At this point, I might be an expert lol!"

Check out Sean Strickland's Instagram post below: