American UFC fighter Sean Strickland has hit back at criticism from Canadian journalist and insider Ariel Helwani, who took issue with Strickland apologizing to UAE fighter Khamzat Chimaev for their previous trash talk and then retracting his words.
“This is why I don’t work with him in the media. You’re a parasite I’ve never respected. The moment I met this man, I immediately understood his level.
In the end, the hatred between us was real. What he said about me was wrong, and what I said about him was also wrong. That’s what hatred and anger do to people, and maybe all of that is still there. But we earned each other’s respect through blood, and I never expected someone of your level to understand that. You were and always will be a pathetic parasite in MMA who has done nothing but criticize people who are better than you,” Strickland wrote on his personal page on social media platform X.
The fight between Chimaev and Strickland at UFC 328 ended with Sean winning by split decision. As a result, Strickland became the UFC middleweight champion, while Chimaev lost his title belt.