Sean Strickland posted a controversial tweet attacking New York and its residents ahead of his fight with Khamzat Chimaev in Newark, New Jersey, which is located just 35 minutes from Manhattan. Rather than following the typical athlete approach of praising the host city and its people, Strickland called New York "the perfect example of what it means to be a Democrat." He described children, adults, and leaders as "pathetic" and called New York and the majority of its residents "a disgrace to America." Strickland claimed people there are either criminals or wealthy individuals without principles. The inflammatory comments represent Strickland's characteristic confrontational public persona and disregard for traditional fight promotion etiquette.
