WASHINGTON, D.C. — UFC middleweight champion Sean Strickland stated he was removed from the guest list for UFC Freedom 250. Strickland won the UFC middleweight championship by defeating Khamzat Chimaev via split decision at UFC 328. He said his exclusion resulted from his past criticism of Israel, U.S. policy regarding Iran, and public comments about files related to Jeffrey Epstein.
The event is scheduled for June 14, 2026, on the South Lawn of the White House in Washington, D.C. UFC Freedom 250 is planned to coincide with the United States' 250th Independence Day celebration.
Attendance for the event is limited to 5,000 guests who are invited by the UFC, the Trump administration, or selected from active military personnel. Tickets for the event are not available for purchase by the general public.
Strickland reported that UFC leadership contacted him and stated, "You're not Israeli enough to go to UFC 250, Israel edition." He also referenced past comments he made, stating he apologized for instances where Trump uses profanity to describe bombing Iran, noting that no American agrees with such action. Strickland added that this action "costs Americans $5,000 to $15,000 takes thousands of dollars from Americans to fight Israel's war." Strickland also claimed that U.S. President Donald Trump stated he has a 99 percent approval rating in Israel.
Neither the UFC nor White House officials have publicly addressed Strickland's claims regarding his exclusion. UFC President Dana White stated in 2014, "I don't give anybody a leash. I don't tell any other human being what to say, what to think. Free speech, brother."
Mixed martial artist Bryce Mitchell said he was not surprised by reports of Strickland's exclusion. Mitchell stated, "Freedom of speech is what really makes this country great. When you can't criticize a foreign nation, a foreign nation, come on, man. We ought to be able to criticize our own nation, let a long a foreign nation."
Mitchell also said that the U.S. government should not host sporting events because it uses taxpayer resources and falls outside the intended role of government. He added, "The government should never be hosting sporting events because there's more room for corruption and we already have a corrupted government."