Weeks after performing at Super Bowl LX, Bad Bunny is being talked about more than the game itself. His influence has even reached the UFC. Apparently, UFC fighter Sean Strickland recently aimed at the Puerto Rican singer and rapper during a podcast appearance. And after Strickland spewed hatred against the artist, former NFL QB Robert Griffin III hit back in the most ruthless way possible.

“Sean Strickland got hit so hard by a foreigner that he forgot Puerto Ricans are US citizens,” Griffin III tweeted on X. “Not to mention that this misogynistic crybaby would get tossed like salad if he ever stepped foot on a football field in the NFL. Worry about not getting knocked out in your next fight.”

Robert Griffin III’s message was actually a callback to a 2022 moment aimed at firing back at Strickland. The ex-QB posted a clip from the wrestler’s loss to Brazilian UFC star Alex Pereira to mock him. The Washington Commanders legend’s emphasis on Puerto Ricans being Americans in his message made it clear that he resonated with what Bad Bunny’s performance stood for: unity. 

Conversely, many failed to perceive it that way. And that’s what led to the controversy in the first place. Among the many influential people who discarded the singer’s performance was Strickland. When asked about the recent happenings in the NFL during the UFC pre-game event on Wednesday, he went all in with his stance. 

“I don’t even want to say that fa—t’s name,” he said. “…Somebody give me his name. Say his name; I don’t want to say it. You know who I’m talking about. The halftime show guy, the Puerto Rican, right?… Bro, yeah, that f—ing f—ot. Like, it’s so crazy that this is America now. Like back in the day, dude, the NFL was like the f—ing standard of being a f—ing man. Now every f—ing year, the NFL, I think they all get together around a table.”

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Questioning the league’s direction, he accused the NFL of ‘ruining’ and ‘g-ying’ up the sport. He described Bad Bunny as a ‘g-y foreigner’ who doesn’t speak English, complaining about why the league even selected him. Moreover, he sees this entertainment choice as a shift away from traditional standards he thinks the league once upheld.

Strickland’s remarks drew heavy criticism, and Robert Griffin III’s fiery response has added fuel to the debate. Here’s a look at the part that likely triggered people or American authorities who opposed Bad Bunny’s halftime show.

NFL’s first non-English halftime show stirred controversy

After witnessing the Patriots’ offensive struggles in the first half, the crowd had the league’s first non-English halftime show.

While the whole act was full of political symbolism, it was the ending that struck the most, besides the language. Good or bad? It all comes down to perspective. At the end of his act, Benito Antonio Martínez Ocasio paid tribute to his Latin roots while keeping the American spirit alive.

He took the rugby and shouted, “God bless America.”

Soon, a crowd of performers gathered behind Bad Bunny, holding flags of multiple Latin American countries. The singer started giving shout-outs to most of the American nations before hitting the ball on the ground.

“Together, We Are America,” the words on the ball say before his playful touchdown.

Earlier in the act, he also carried the flag of his motherland, Puerto Rico. Taken together, many thought these moves made the performance less American. At the same time, one could argue that it was a love letter to his home country and the continent. Starting from Latin-inspired set designs and daily routines, Bad Bunny artistically showed the culture. 

He also dived into serious issues by using sugarcane fields and climbing an electrical tower. The field showed the 1898 US invasion of Puerto Rico, which forced the country into a single-crop system. He also paid homage to the landscape of his hometown, Vega Baja. Moreover, ‘64’ on Benito’s sweater showed the death toll of people during Hurricane Maria. 

Despite so many layers, many found the performance highly enjoyable and inspiring. And the epitome of the whole thing was the message on the billboard at Levi’s Stadium.

“The only thing more powerful than hate is love,” it read.

Amid the political divide, Bad Bunny took the spotlight to stress the importance of love and culture. But little did he know that it would not sit well with many across the country.