In a recent turn of events, former UFC middleweight champion Sean Strickland shared his side of the story following a tense interaction with musician Machine Gun Kelly (MGK) at a Power Slap event in Las Vegas.
The incident occurred last Friday when Strickland, known for his straightforward demeanor, engaged in a verbal exchange with MGK. According to Strickland, the encounter started harmlessly, with him poking fun at MGK's outfit. However, things took a turn when MGK responded with what Strickland perceived as a lack of respect.
“I’m like, ‘Dude, what are you fcking wearing? Like, what the fck is going on here? How are you doing this?’ He looked at me, and he didn’t laugh, and he didn’t giggle, but he looked at me like, ‘Why is this guy with no respect talking to me like this?’ … He looked at me like I was less than human," Strickland explained on his YouTube channel.
Feeling the need to assert himself, Strickland aimed to humble MGK, but the situation escalated. His girlfriend intervened, urging him to calm down, and eventually, Strickland was escorted out of the venue.
Reflecting on the atmosphere at the Power Slap event, Strickland expressed his frustration with the influencer culture, describing the attendees as not genuine people but rather influencers with a perceived "God complex."
“These people at these slap fights, they’re not people. They’re influencers. I interact with hundreds of people. No fan ever has anything bad to say about me because I love you guys. But these people are not you guys," Strickland shared. "It’s like they have this weird God complex. When I’m around them, I just want to hurt them all to remind them, ‘You are just a human being, shut the f*ck up.'"
The incident has sparked discussions about the clash between different worlds within the entertainment industry, leaving fans curious about how these interactions might influence Strickland's future in and out of the ring.