Former UFC champion Sean Strickland seems to be bracing some new challenges since his title charge came to an end last month.
At first, he told his social media followers he would not be targeting Khamzat Chimaev’s family anymore. And now, in a quest for a cultural reset, the former middleweight champion has found his way to the nearest Popeye’s – only to be chided by influencer Andrew Tate.
The Xtreme Couture staple is getting into the wide world of fried chicken. Strickland claims that a lifetime lack of melanin has made him eat sushi and deprived his taste buds of the hype that generally proceeds fried chicken – a stereotype he associates African African people with.
“I often get saddened that I’ll never taste and experience fried chicken like a black man“, Strickland tweeted. “I watch the reels, the YouTube shorts, and y’all make fried chicken seem like it’s the greatest food on earth. I just don’t think it’s that good“.
I often get saddened that I’ll never taste and experience fried chicken like a black man..
I watch the reels, the YouTube shorts and yall make fried chicken seem like it’s the greatest food on earth..
I just don’t think it’s that good :/
— Sean Strickland (@SStricklandMMA) March 25, 2025
And as per usual, inserting his beak into an uninvited conversation, Tate made yet another disparaging comment on race.
“As a half black man, I can promise you it doesn’t taste that good they’re just ret**ded,” Tate posted in response on X.
As a half black man I can promise you it doesnt taste that good theyre just retarded.
— Andrew Tate (@Cobratate) March 26, 2025
Tate and his brother Tristan were last spotted at a Romanian police station near Romania’s capital to comply with the legal requirements in the ongoing criminal investigations against them. The brothers are under investigation for forming an organised criminal group, human trafficking, trafficking of minors, and money laundering, according to the BBC.
Needless to say, the responses to Andrew’s fried chicken comments were primarily people calling him out for these cases.
Strickland encourages fans to try out Popeyes chicken
I’m a believer.. Yall need to try the popeyes!!! This man is looking at me like why the fuck is Sean Strickland at a Popeyes… CAUSE YOU ALL GOT SOME GOOD FUCKING CHICKEN!!!! pic.twitter.com/PLqjgisfna
— Sean Strickland (@SStricklandMMA) March 26, 2025
Given his usual decision to go against the grain of public opinion, it seems surprising Strickland has agreed with the masses this time around. Usually taking the most outlandish and controversial opinion available to him, it appears fried chicken, of all things, has made the former UFC champion a more tolerant, culturally sensitive man.
