Strickland turns on Trump and calls out Gaethje's MAGA loyalty over broken promises

UFC middleweight champion Sean Strickland has broken with his own political past to publicly challenge lightweight titleholder Justin Gaethje over his continued support of Donald Trump, days after Gaethje appeared at the 2026 Republican midterm convention in Dallas.

Gaethje (28-5) took to the stage at the Dallas event to urge Republican supporters to vote and avoid complacency following the party’s 2024 presidential election victory. The appearance prompted a sharp response from Strickland (31-7), who was himself a vocal Trump backer before recently shifting to outright criticism.

Posting on X, Strickland laid out what he sees as a scorecard of unfulfilled promises. “I dont get how Justin Goythje is still MAGA,” he wrote. “Trumps promises vs record: 1. Border, deportation. Partly kept. 2. No new wars. FAILED. 3. Cost of living. FAILED. 4. Government spending. FAILED. But hey we’re all getting a 5k check paid for by your children.”

The “5k check” reference targets a reported Republican pledge of a $5,000 dividend to every adult citizen should the party perform well in the midterms — a promise Strickland dismissed as debt passed to the next generation.

The exchange puts two of the UFC’s most prominent champions on opposite sides of a political argument that has spilled well beyond the cage. Gaethje has not publicly responded to Strickland’s post at the time of writing.