Sean Strickland criticizes New York ahead of Chimaev fight in Newark

Sean Strickland has posted a controversial statement on social media attacking New York and its residents ahead of his fight against Khamzat Chimaev in Newark, New Jersey. The bout will take place at Prudential Center, approximately 35 minutes from Central Park in Manhattan. Rather than engaging in the typical pre-fight promotional activity of praising the host city, Strickland called New York "the perfect example of what it means to be a Democrat" and described children, adults, and leaders as "pathetic." He stated that New York and the majority of its residents are "a disgrace to America," adding that people there are either criminals or wealthy individuals without backbone. This inflammatory rhetoric is characteristic of Strickland's confrontational public persona.