Strickland unleashes tirade on Gaethje's manager Ali Abdelaziz over White House snub

UFC middleweight champion Sean Strickland (30-7) has directed a profanity-laden social media rant at lightweight champion Justin Gaethje (28-5) and his manager Ali Abdelaziz, escalating a feud that began when Strickland was not invited to UFC White House earlier this month.

Posting on X on June 23, Strickland was careful to separate his feelings about Gaethje the fighter from his contempt for Abdelaziz. “Let me tell you why Goythje is a bitch, and it pains me because I like him,” Strickland wrote. “His manager Ali was arrested for being a f—-ing terrorist then snitched on his terrorist boys. He could offer me a billion dollars to manage me and [I’d] tell him to get f—ed because I’m an American.”

Strickland referenced unverified allegations about Abdelaziz’s past, including claims of a prior arrest and accusations of cooperating with authorities. He added that no financial incentive would ever persuade him to sign with Abdelaziz’s management operation.

The tension between Strickland and Gaethje first surfaced in the build-up to Gaethje’s lightweight title victory over Ilia Topuria at UFC White House. Strickland was not among those invited to the event. When a fan proposed boycotting the card in solidarity, Gaethje publicly pushed back against the idea — a response that drew a sharp reaction from Strickland and set off a heated back-and-forth between the two champions on social media.

Despite the inflammatory language, Strickland has repeatedly insisted his grievance is with Abdelaziz rather than Gaethje personally, framing the outburst as a matter of principle rather than professional rivalry between the two title-holders.