Dana White Dismisses Sean Strickland's Claims of Being Banned from UFC White House Event

UFC CEO Dana White has firmly rebutted Sean Strickland's assertion that he is prohibited from attending the upcoming UFC White House card. Strickland, the UFC middleweight champion, recently claimed on social media that he was banned for criticizing President Donald Trump and his ties to Israel amid the ongoing conflict in Iran. “The only male American champ banned at the White House because I said Trump is owned by [Benjamin Netanyahu],” Strickland stated.

In response to Strickland's comments, White expressed disbelief, stating, “Everybody’s banned apparently. Apparently f*cking everybody is banned.” He clarified that Strickland's absence from the event is not due to any ban, but rather because he had previously indicated he did not wish to participate. “Sean Strickland is banned from humanity. We don’t want him near any human beings,” White added humorously.

White explained that the UFC White House card is an exclusive event with a limited number of tickets available, most of which are allocated for Trump’s guests. “There’s only 4,300 tickets to actually seat. Literally, nobody has been banned from this event,” he emphasized, highlighting the constraints on attendance.

Additionally, White noted that the White House has delegated media credentialing for the event to the UFC, which has created confusion about access for various outlets. While some media may not receive credentials, White assured that no one is being explicitly banned from the card.

White also addressed rumors regarding fighters' walkout music, confirming that decisions regarding music have not been restricted and that Strickland's claims about being banned due to his political views are unfounded. “There’s a lot of bullshit floating around out there right now,” White remarked. “Nobody is banned. Nothing is banned.”