Joaquin Buckley and Sean Strickland engaged in a social media dispute concerning the ex-UFC champion’s utilization of a racial epithet during a recent live broadcast.
Sean Strickland, the former UFC middleweight titleholder, is approaching a pivotal fight in his career, yet he continues to generate contention outside of the octagon.
Strickland, scheduled to compete against Anthony Hernandez at UFC Houston this weekend, uttered a racially offensive term targeting Black individuals during a recent live stream hosted by Quinton ‘Rampage’ Jackson. This event provoked significant reactions across social media platforms.
Subsequent to the video gaining widespread attention, UFC welterweight Joaquin Buckley publicly criticized Strickland for employing the derogatory term.
“Sean, you’re not subtle; I understand your objective,” Buckley remarked.
“However, ease up, as the true n—– must attend to business.”
Joaquin Buckley and Sean Strickland Exchange Insults Regarding Racial Slur Usage
Through multiple Instagram remarks, Strickland seemed to address Buckley’s challenge.
Here’s the full clip 👇 pic.twitter.com/d9WG4YjnE
— Parry Punch (@ParryPunchNews) February 19, 2026
Strickland commented, “Buckley embodies the Black equivalent of a Karen.”
He continued, “Haha, I’ve never been defeated in a confrontation involving racial accusations. Buckley strikes me as the kind of person who’d be expelled from a retail establishment for being disruptive and subsequently claim, ‘it’s due to my race; you’re prejudiced.’ Haha, my friend, you’re a poor fighter and an even poorer role model. Your whole [Instagram] presence is utterly embarrassing.”
In reply, Buckley seemingly suggested a confrontation with Strickland occurring this weekend during UFC Houston.
Buckley declared, “I bet I’ll encounter you in Houston, big guy.”
Strickland and Buckley were formerly competitors in the identical division during earlier stages of their UFC careers. Since his permanent transition from the middleweight to the welterweight category, Buckley has secured victories in six of his recent seven bouts, encompassing stoppages against Colby Covington and Stephen Thompson.
This incident is hardly the initial controversial aspect involving Strickland leading up to UFC Houston. Prior to his match with Hernandez, Strickland distributed an image from Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) depicting himself and Hernandez, which was interpreted as a jab at Hernandez’s Mexican background.
Should Strickland and Buckley cross paths this weekend in Houston, anticipate the potential for disorder to unfold.
What are your projections for the bout between Sean Strickland and Anthony Hernandez? Share your thoughts in the comments!
