This Sean Strickland-UFC Freedom 250 saga is quickly becoming more captivating than the historic event itself. Ever since ‘Tarzan’ claimed UFC officials banned him from attending the June 14 White House card because of his criticism of the Donald Trump administration and its ties to Israel, he has relentlessly targeted those in power. And judging by his latest comments, he’s nowhere near finished.

“Being American doesn’t get you invited to the White House,” Strickland wrote on his Instagram story. “Being a Trump cultist does. No different than Iran or NK.. ‘show me your loyalty.’”

Strickland was correct about not being invited to the White House event. UFC CEO Dana White later clarified that the middleweight champion was never banned from attending. Instead, he simply wasn’t invited because of the event’s limited seating capacity. However, the situation has raised eyebrows. According to Time Magazine, celebrities such as Dwayne Johnson, Jared Leto, Adam Sandler, and Jason Statham reportedly received invitations to the event.

While those stars have declined the invitation, there still appears to be no room for one of the UFC’s biggest names. Nevertheless, the lack of an invitation hasn’t stopped Sean Strickland from making his way to Washington, D.C. The 35-year-old attended the UFC Freedom 250 press conference on Friday, wearing a hoodie in an attempt to avoid attention after previously stating that he planned to stage a peaceful protest outside the White House.

His disguise didn’t last long. Police officers reportedly asked Strickland to remove his hoodie, quickly revealing his identity and drawing a crowd of excited fans. The champion embraced the attention, interacting with supporters and even kicking one fan in the leg as part of a challenge. While Strickland remains determined to be involved with the historic event, fellow UFC star Bryce Mitchell has also weighed in on the controversy, criticizing the government’s handling of the situation.

This lays bare the values the UFC chooses to uphold. While Dana White has long portrayed himself as a staunch defender of free speech, that commitment appears to have limits when criticism is directed at Donald Trump. In this case, White showed little willingness to tolerate dissent from his own fighters. Despite these obstacles placed in his way, Sean Strickland remains determined to attend Sunday’s event by any means necessary. 

Sean Strickland has secured tickets for the event

Tickets for the event were never made available to the public, meaning general fans have no opportunity to attend in person. Instead, the crowd of roughly 4,000 attendees is expected to consist primarily of military service members, along with guests selected by the UFC, its parent company TKO Group, and Donald Trump himself. 

The event coincides with Trump’s 80th birthday, adding further significance to Sunday’s card. Despite that, Strickland has found a way to attend the event. 

“You guys, good news!!!” he wrote on X. “My buddy just told me he has [an] extra ticket to the fight!! Let’s goooo!”

He also decided to mock Dana White. 

“Dana ‘Sean isn’t banned, he wasn’t invited,’ he added. “Thanks, man!!!”

Strickland’s workaround is a clever one. If he is ultimately prevented from attending the event now, it would only reinforce the perception that Dana White and Donald Trump specifically did not want him there. 

But the event hasn’t started yet, and Sean Strickland appears to have entered into an all-out war with Dana White and the Trump administration.