Sean Strickland has never been one to hold his tongue. So why would he start now? Lately, even the UFC CEO, Dana White, has found himself in his crosshairs. This was especially evident following the April 25 shooting at the White House Correspondents’ Association Dinner. While most people present there were shocked, scared, and many downright traumatized, Dana White, a long-time Donald Trump ally, who was also present at the dinner, looked excited and giddy as he walked out.

Seated near the front of the ballroom at the Washington Hilton hotel during the event, Dana White found himself just feet from the chaos when gunfire suddenly erupted. Yet instead of scrambling for cover, he appeared unusually nonchalant. Speaking to the media after being escorted out along with the other guests, White described the incident as “f—king awesome,” remarking, “I literally took every minute of it in.” It’s that reaction that has led Sean Strickland to label his boss a “sociopath.”

“Let me tell you, I’m sure Dana White is a sociopath,” Strickland said in an interview with The Mac Life. “Like, I mean, at that level of, like, what he’s accomplished, the kind of s–t he deals with, like, I’m sure, like, he’s a super narcissistic sociopath. So, like, for him, like, you know, the lizard brain doesn’t kind of compute. So he’s like, ‘F–k it, bring it on, dude. Let’s go, motherf–ker,’ which I respect. Respect that.”

Immediately after the shooting began, the suspected gunman was subdued and apprehended by law enforcement. Todd Blanche, the acting Attorney General, claimed the suspect may have been targeting the President and other key officials from the administration. According to reports, 31-year-old Cole Tomas Allen from Torrance, California, has been identified as the suspect.

Strickland was then asked if he was surprised by White’s shocking reaction to the shooting.

“No, I… Yeah, no, I think Dana White would love to watch a motherf—ker get killed, dude,” Strickland replied. “Yeah, no, he’s a sick f—k, dude, 100%. I mean, come on, did we not think that about Dana White? Like, the guy’s probably a f—king sociopath. Or even, I wouldn’t assume, probably a psychopath… That’s why I am not making more money. I gotta deal with these f—kers. Now we know.”

Strickland, of course, headlines UFC 328 on Saturday, May 9, at the Prudential Center in Newark, New Jersey, opposite UFC middleweight champion Khamzat Chimaev. Though Sean Strickland wasn’t too critical of Dana White’s comment and even seemed to respect it, not everyone shared his perspective.

A UFC veteran isn’t too pleased with Dana White

Matt Brown didn’t hold back when addressing White’s remarks, especially given his own past experience with a deadly shooting.

“I’m absolutely flabbergasted,” Brown said. “It took me completely blindsided—when he came out, when I saw the short little clip of him saying that was awesome.”

The UFC veteran who retired in 2024 stressed that real violence carries a lasting impact for victims and witnesses alike. 

“It is not awesome in any sense of the word. It is not f—king cool one bit.”

Reflecting on his own trauma, he highlighted the human cost. 

“Someone got shot right next to me,” the 45-year-old added. “It was very tone-deaf. You just don’t say that.”

And Brown wasn’t alone in feeling this way about Dana White’s comments over the shooting. Fans on social media erupted with criticism over White’s take on the matter. But Dana White has yet to issue a response since the shooting. 

Ultimately, White’s reaction has sparked a debate within his own organization, pitting his unfiltered persona against the real-world sensitivities of his fighters.