UFC champion says he was not cleared to attend White House event

Middleweight champion Sean Strickland stated on social media that the Ultimate Fighting Championship informed him he had not been cleared by the White House to attend the June 14 fight card scheduled on the south lawn. Strickland wrote that a UFC official initially indicated the matter would be resolved and that footage had been recorded.

He later received a call stating he was not cleared. When asked by a fan for the reason, Strickland replied that he had made fun of Israel and Epstein. In a follow-up post he wrote that he was the only male American champion excluded because he said the president is owned by Benjamin Netanyahu.

Strickland reclaimed the middleweight title with a split-decision victory over Khamzat Chimaev in May in Newark, New Jersey. He was previously a supporter of the president but stated he stopped supporting him after U.S. strikes on Iran.

Responses and context UFC chief executive Dana White told reporters that Strickland was not banned. White stated that Strickland is banned from humanity and that the notion of banned fighters is absurd. The White House and the Ultimate Fighting Championship did not respond to requests for comment.

The event is scheduled for June 14, which coincides with Flag Day and the president's 80th birthday. A watchdog group filed a lawsuit earlier this week arguing the administration broke multiple federal laws to accommodate the event. Weather forecasts indicate a chance of showers and thunderstorms in Washington on Sunday evening.