UFC ‘GWOAT’ Amanda Nunes Goes Off on Sean Strickland’s Sexist Rant

UFC legend Amanda Nunes calls out controversial middleweight Sean Strickland for his comments on women's MMA.

UFC ‘GWOAT’ Amanda Nunes Goes Off on Sean Strickland’s Sexist Rant

Amanda Nunes calls out Sean Strickland (via MMA Fighting, X)

In Short
  • Sean Strickland faced backlash for his sexist remarks about women's MMA, prompting a response from Amanda Nunes.
  • Nunes, a former two-division champion, defended women's fighting and criticized Strickland's comments.
  • Plans for a potential superfight between Nunes and Kayla Harrison are on hold due to Harrison's injury.

Sean Strickland has built a reputation for his outspoken personality and controversial remarks, often drawing backlash for statements widely viewed as demeaning. Several of his past comments have focused on diminishing women and their place in professional combat sports. His latest remarks targeting women’s MMA have now caught the attention of former UFC double champion Amanda Nunes.

Nunes is regarded as one of the most dominant champions in UFC history, earning wins over Ronda Rousey, Valentina Shevchenko, and Miesha Tate. She first won UFC gold in 2016 and held a championship reign through 2021 as a two-division titleholder, defending her belts against top contenders. After briefly losing her bantamweight belt, she regained the title and retired as champion in 2023.

Strickland is scheduled to face Anthony ‘Fluffy’ Hernandez at UFC Houston on February 21. During his media day obligations, he delivered an unfiltered rant questioning the credibility of women’s MMA and minimizing its standing in the sport. He also claimed that the weakest man in the room could defeat Nunes, remarks that ultimately prompted a fiery response from the former double champion.

We do everything he said, and to top it all off, LOL, we’re fighters too. Don’t cry, man.

Amanda Nunes via X

This is not the first time Strickland has faced scrutiny from women in MMA over his public comments and controversial statements. Former UFC bantamweight champion Raquel Pennington previously criticized the middleweight contender for anti-LGBTQ remarks and the use of homophobic slurs. She also took issue with his repeated attempts to diminish women’s MMA and question its legitimacy within the sport.

While Ronda Rousey is recognized as a pioneer of women’s MMA and the first woman signed to the UFC roster, Nunes established herself as one of the sport’s greatest stars through dominance. Her reign as a two-division champion strengthened her credibility inside the Octagon. That résumé led to her induction into the UFC Hall of Fame and reinforced her status as one of the most dangerous fighters in the cage.

Sean Strickland has repeatedly found himself at the center of controversies stemming from his outspoken views, with incidents like this becoming a recurring part of his public persona. Such moments have contributed to the polarizing reputation that surrounds him inside and outside the Octagon. At the same time, Amanda Nunes’ response further reinforced her standing as one of the sport’s most respected figures.

Amanda Nunes positions the UFC White House event for the Kayla Harrison superfight

Ever since her retirement in 2023, fans have anticipated a comeback from Amanda Nunes, widely regarded as one of the greatest fighters in UFC history. That possibility nearly became reality at UFC 324, where ‘The Lioness’ was scheduled to return in a bantamweight title fight against champion Kayla Harrison. The matchup was billed as one of the biggest superfights in women’s UFC history.

Kayla Harrison goes face-to-face against Amanda Nunes after UFC 316
Kayla Harrison goes face-to-face against Amanda Nunes after UFC 316 (via X)

However, the bout was canceled at the last minute after Harrison suffered a neck injury that required medical attention. The development forced the UFC to scrap the scheduled title fight and further postponed Nunes’ long-awaited return to competition. With the matchup delayed, the former double champion recently addressed when the potential clash could realistically be rescheduled in the future.

I think she has six months to recover and give some feedback to the UFC. I saw that she’s already back at the gym and that makes me really happy. I wish her all the best in her recovery and everything because of course I need her. How could I wish her bad? I want her to recover as fast as possible, and I’ll be right here. Everything depends on her now for us to make this fight happen, maybe at the White House. I think that would be perfect. And I’ll be ready

Amanda Nunes via UFC Brazil

Plans for a championship bout between Kayla Harrison and Amanda Nunes at the proposed White House event carry added significance, as Harrison currently stands as the only American champion on the UFC roster. UFC CEO Dana White has confirmed that planning for the fight will resume once the champion has fully recovered from her injury, as he believes the bout is the “greatest women’s fight of all time” and cannot be overlooked.

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