Sean Strickland accepts challenge to complete Navy SEAL 'Hell Week' training against former SEAL David Goggins



UFC contender and fan favorite Sean Strickland accepted a challenge to complete Navy SEAL training against former SEAL and fitness personality David Goggins.

In March 2024, Strickland received praise as well as backlash for saying he didn't think there was one Navy SEAL "who could survive a week [of] training" with him, as opposed to the other way around.

"I'm kind of sick of seeing it 'cause, like, you guys think you're bada**," Strickland said. "Come train with me for a week, I'll show you what's up. I'll f**king break you," he added.

The middleweight followed that by beating up a former SEAL (who is also a fighter) in a brutal sparring session months later.

'The only thing you beat me at in life is f***ing running.'

Enter Goggins: a former SEAL himself who is known for withstanding extreme duress during his fitness regimen, along with being an over-the-top motivational speaker. Goggins also competes in triathlons and ultramarathons (42.195 KM).

Goggins posted a video on TikTok challenging Strickland to a very public fitness challenge.

"This is your opportunity to show the world that you can f*** me up," Goggins said in the video. "I will have camera crews out there. You make sure you bring your f***ing camera crew out there because you're going to want to get this on camera," he added, per TalkSport.

"A 49-year-old, broke-down knee, f***ed-up body guy is gonna put you through a camp that you think you can f*** me up in," the fitness guru went on.

"This is your opportunity, Strickland."

Particularly, Strickland is to complete "Hell Week," which refers to the fourth week of the United States Navy SEAL selection and training program.

According to NavySeals.com, "Hell Week" consists of running over 200 miles with 20 hours of physical training per day. Candidates also sleep for approximately four total hours over a span of five and a half days.

"Hell Week is the ultimate test of a man’s will and the class's teamwork," the site read.

Strickland posted a video on Instagram accepting the challenge and poking fun at some of Goggins' viral videos.

"Goggins, I heard you want a piece," Strickland said. "Challenge accepted."

"Just so you know, man, the only thing you beat me at in life is f***ing running. But guess what, I don't have to f***ing run," he added.

Strickland can expect some other extreme training for SEAL qualifications, according to Navy.com. Under the qualifications and requirements section, the Navy declares that SEAL candidates must be able to complete the following, in succession:

  • Swim 500 yards
  • Perform at least 50 push-ups in two minutes
  • Perform at least 50 curl-ups in two minutes
  • Perform at least 10 pull-ups in two minutes
  • Run 1.5 miles
Strickland noted on his posted that while he admits Goggins could beat him "in a jog," he was willing to accept the challenge simply to occupy his time while he's waiting for a chance to fight for the UFC middleweight championship.

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'You know you're gonna quit': UFC's Sean Strickland brutally beats former Navy SEAL in insane sparring session



UFC contender and former champion Sean Strickland viciously beat up a former Navy SEAL in a video that upset viewers and fans.

Strickland, fresh off a solid victory over fellow contender Paulo Costa at UFC 302, accepted the chance to spar with a Navy SEAL for five rounds in a caged sparring session.

The former SEAL's name is Mitch Aguiar, who actually has MMA experience. Aguiar had 12 amateur bouts between 2013-2017 before turning pro in 2018. He is 2-1 as a professional but hadn't fought since 2020.

"It always seems like a good idea to spar a world champion until you actually [do it]," former UFC fighter Jake Shields wrote on X, as he recorded the fight.

'The only SEAL that said yes … But man … He's one of the real ones.'

"You know you're gonna quit, bitch!" Strickland is heard saying in the video.

However, showing some restraint, the 185-pound fighter said "sorry" after punching the former armed forces member in the face.

"I don't want to knock you out," he added.

Playfulness quickly turned into brutality though, with five punishing rounds of sparring sending Aguiar to the canvas multiple times, although he never gave up.

"Mitch Aguiar is a savage and would beat 99.9 percent of humans in a fight[.] He decided he wanted to spar with Sean Strickland for 25 min," Shields wrote in a subsequent post. "He quickly learned there is a big difference between world champions but regardless he took a brutal beating and didn't quit[,] Sean obviously wasn't looking for a Ko but still dished out a bad beating[.] This is in round 5."

Many fans were upset by Strickland's decision to fight the former military man, perhaps not knowing that he is a professional fighter himself.

It should also be taken into consideration that Aguiar has never reached the ranks of the UFC nor promotions of similar caliber and fights at a weight class beneath Strickland: 170 pounds.

"This was disturbing to watch [not going to lie]," a viewer wrote, per Essentially Sports.

"What's the point of this[,] seriously?" another fan reacted.

Other viewers mocked Strickland for not keeping the same "energy" in fights that he has lost in the UFC.

Strickland was still cordial after the session and later reportedly praised Aguiar for being willing to step into the ring with him.

"The only SEAL that said yes … But man … He's one of the real ones. Probably why he was the only one that said yes," he said on an Instagram story.

Strickland has taken on opponents from many walks of life in recent years, including another beat down of the much smaller YouTuber nicknamed Sneako.

Joe Rogan reacted to that instance negatively, saying it's "not a good look."

"He beat the s*** out of that guy. I don't know why he wanted to do that," Rogan continued. "It's not fair," he added.

Interestingly enough, Aguiar was included in an answer on a Reddit page from 2018 regarding Navy SEALS and whether or not they could beat up a UFC fighter.

"A navy seal would beat a ufc fighter in a street fight," the post read. "They are trained in a number of different fighting styles and can not only break your bones by sheer punching power but also from tackling you," the post claimed.

A reader pointed directly to Aguiar, who was 1-1 at the time, as an example of how different the disciplines are.

He also noted former UFC fighter Brandon Wolff, who finished his career in 2010 with a 7-6 record. Wolff was a SEAL from 1999-2001.

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UFC's Sean Strickland posts video of himself getting waterboarded: 'It can't be that bad'



UFC fighter Sean Strickland posted a video of himself on X getting tortured by waterboard, expressing that he simply wanted to know what it felt like.

Middleweight contender Strickland put his money where his mouth is and accepted a wager from ... seemingly himself when he posted the video and stated that since he was a kid he didn't think the form of torture could be "that bad."

Waterboarding is defined by Cambridge Dictionary as a "form of torture ... in which a person is held facing upward while water is poured in large quantities over their face. This gives the person the feeling that they are drowning," with the idea that they are "unable to breathe and dying."

"When I was a kid I thought 'I wanna know what water boarding feels like, it can't be that bad,'" Strickland wrote on X. "I can tell you it was one of the most f***ed up things I've experienced lol."

Attached was a 12-second video of Strickland shirtless on a floor next to an oven. The arm of an unknown person used what seemed to be a garden hose nozzle to spray Strickland — who had a T-shirt over his head — in the face, with the fighter's hands confined in makeshift handcuffs.

The would-be torturer ensured that he was spraying Strickland in the face and controlled his head with a hand around the 185-pound fighter's neck.

Be advised that the video could be seen as disturbing and is age-restricted on X.

Strickland stuck around on his account to answer a couple of fan questions after posting the video, the first of which came in just a minute after the footage was put online.

'When you see these youtubers like Steven crowder doing it saying "it's [not] that bad" [it's] because you weren't.'

"Sean why did you do this? This is tough," one viewer asked.

"You think 'I can just breathe lightly and take a big breath when the water stops' nope you are 100 percent drowning.........." Strickland replied.

You think "I can just breathe lightly and take a big breath when the water stops" nope you are 100 percent drowning..........
— Sean Strickland (@SStricklandMMA) June 12, 2024

"What if you just hold your breath for a minute?" another viewer asked.

"You're going to have to breathe at some point lol," Strickland answered.

After another viewer stated that after the "cloth is wet you basically can't breathe through it without taking in water," Strickland called out YouTubers, specifically Steven Crowder, saying they clearly haven't been waterboarded properly.

"Yeah man.... no [matter what] you do you can't breathe.. it's f***ed... When you see these youtubers like Steven crowder doing it saying 'it's [not] that bad' [it's] because you weren't f**king water boarded lol."

Yeah man.... no mater water you do you can't breathe.. it's fucked... When you see these youtubers like Steven crowder doing it saying "it's no that bad" because you weren't fucking water boarded lol
— Sean Strickland (@SStricklandMMA) June 12, 2024

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UFC contender Paulo Costa throws one of the worst first pitches of all time before Mets game

UFC contender Paulo Costa throws one of the worst first pitches of all time before Mets game



UFC middleweight contender Paulo Costa has placed himself in contention for the worst first pitch of all time after an appearance at Citi Field before a New York Mets game.

The curse of the Mets first pitch lived on through Costa after he arrived in Flushing, Queens, New York, ahead of UFC 302. While his fight against former champion and fan favorite Sean Strickland is hosted in Newark, New Jersey, "Borrachinha" stopped in the Big Apple to throw out the ceremonial first pitch before the Mets played the Los Angeles Dodgers.

While the Brazilian is beloved by fans in his own right, nothing could shelter him from how bad his pitch was.

The public address announcer is heard saying, "All right Paulo, it's your pitch!" right as the fighter prepared to throw the ball. Wearing a dress shirt and dress pants, the 33-year-old wound up in a right-handed stance and threw the pitch about 10 feet to the left of home plate.

Either in incredibly good spirits or oblivious to how bad his pitch was, Costa gave fans a thumbs up and a smile as he walked off the mound.

Costa later summarized his pitch on social media as an "absolute laser."

'I mean, the guy can throw a wheel kick though.'

Surprisingly, the fighter's pitch may only be the second- or third-worst pitch by a celebrity at Citi Field. In 2009, also in May, radio producer Gary Dell'Abate threw a pitch so far off the right side of the plate that it hit a nearby umpire.

What made things worse for the "The Howard Stern Show" personality was that he had practiced for weeks leading up to the event to ensure he wasn't later mocked for his performance when he returned to the radio show. Obviously, his practice did not yield the preferred results.

What may be the most terrible celebrity pitch at Citi Field happened about five years later in 2014. Taking place again in May, Curtis "50 Cent" Jackson took a left-handed approach and threw the ball around 10-15 feet wide of the plate, almost hitting a photographer and then a cameraman.

The best pitch ever?

Tennis legend John McEnroe is considered to have possibly the best celebrity first pitch in New York Mets history.

In 2016, at age 57 McEnroe threw an actual laser of a pitch seemingly just off the lower-left part of the plate, but still very close to a strike. The catcher for the Mets at the time can even be seen instinctively trying to frame the pitch and then fist pumps in celebration on his way to greet McEnroe on the mound.

Adding to the conspiracy, the pitch took place in August, not May.

Costa's opponent and fellow contender Strickland was asked about the first pitch at a UFC press conference.

"Did you see him throw out the first pitch at the baseball game yesterday?" a reporter asked Strickland.

"No! Was it pretty bad?" Strickland responded.

"It was about seven feet wide," the reporter claimed.

Strickland, however, wasn't willing to condemn his opponent and gave him credit for being really good at a different sport.

"I mean the guy can throw a wheel kick though. I don't mind Costa, he's a funny guy," the 185-pound fighter added. Strickland also noted that he enjoyed Costa's joke about comparing dating a fat woman to being an early investor in Bitcoin.

"Getting one of these in your prime, regulating [her] diet and sending her [to] the gym is the same thing as buying Bitcoin in 2010," Costa explained.

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'Saying that makes you a weak man': UFC's Sean Strickland calls NFL 'spineless cowards' in defense of Harrison Butker



UFC fighter Sean Strickland spoke out against the NFL and negative reactions to a speech by Kansas City Chiefs kicker Harrison Butker at a Catholic college.

Butker delivered an anti-politically correct commencement address to hundreds of graduates at Benedictine College, calling out President Biden, diversity programs, and the role of men in society.

Strickland, who has never been shy about giving his unfiltered opinion, chimed in once again calling the NFL "spineless cowards" after a league representative distanced the NFL from Butker's comments.

"Harrison Butker gave a speech in his personal capacity," senior vice president and chief diversity and inclusion officer Jonathan Beane said. "His views are not those of the NFL as an organization. The NFL is steadfast in our commitment to inclusion, which only makes our league stronger," the DEI chief added, according to USA Today.

'You can be against gay marriage. It's ok. You're not a bigot.'

Strickland wrote days later on X:

"When did the NFL become such spineless cowards? MAN + WOMAN = MARRIAGE[.] Nothing else," he continued.

"Text, history and tradition ... It's that simple 'It doesn't matter, who cares who can get married' Saying that makes you a weak man. They want you to say that ... Have beliefs," the middleweight wrote.

— (@)

In another post 17 minutes later, Strickland clarified that he didn't have any hatred toward gay people.

"There is not one ounce of me who hates gay people. If you're gay be gay. Be happy. I wish you the best[.] But that doesn't mean I have to bend my knee on every social issue designed to destroy America and masculinity," he continued. "You can be against gay marriage. It's ok. You're not a bigot nfl."

An OnlyFans model responded to Strickland in support, saying, "[The] institution of marriage was predicated on having kids and two dudes can’t do that."

"This is a reasonable take, what we are against is teaching it to kindergarteners and life altering procedures/medication to under 18 year olds," the woman added.

Strickland replied with, "100 percent."

— (@)

Strickland's most recent statements surrounded his displeasure with foreign flags consistently being flown in the United States.

"I'm so sick of seeing foreign flags in America.. I don't get it," Strickland wrote on X. "You left your corrupt country to come to the USA and yet you still rep what you fled? The worst is Hispanics born in America flying a Mexican flag.. Where is your loyalty.. Just go back.. Enjoy your foreign flag," he added.

This included the Israeli and Ukrainian flags being celebrated by U.S. politicians, as well.

As for Butker, he has received support from teammate and star quarterback Patrick Mahomes, who said that Butker is a "good person" and is someone who "cares about the people around him" and "cares about his family."

Chiefs head coach Andy Reid also said that he didn't think Butker was "speaking ill to women."

"He has his opinions, and we all respect that. I let you guys in this room, and you have a lot of opinions that I don't like, so," Reid added.

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'I'm so sick of seeing foreign flags in America': UFC's Sean Strickland asks those without US loyalty to 'just go back'



Recent UFC champion and perennial wildcard Sean Strickland stated that he's sick of seeing foreign flags flying in America, asking those who do so to "just go back."

The former middleweight champion has made headlines for the better part of a year due to his controversial comments, which have even included calling out video game companies and Navy SEALs.

Strickland has recently taken a stand against foreign flags being flown in the United States:

"I'm so sick of seeing foreign flags in America.. I don't get it," Strickland wrote on X. "You left your corrupt country to come to the USA and yet you still rep what you fled? The worst is Hispanics born in America flying a Mexican flag.. Where is your loyalty.. Just go back.. Enjoy your foreign flag," he added.

I'm so sick of seeing foreign flags in America..\n\nI don't get it. You left your corrupt country to come to the USA and yet you still rep what you fled? \n\nThe worst is Hispanics born in America flying a Mexican flag.. Where is your loyalty.. Just go back.. Enjoy your foreign flag
— (@)

Strickland also replied to comments asking him about specific flags.

"You mean stuff like that?" a user wrote with an attached image of Congress waving miniature Ukraine flags.

"Exactly like this," Strickland said.

@raymo_g Exactly like this
— (@)

"Like this?" another fan asked, along with photos of Sen. John Fetterman (D-Pa.) and Robert F. Kennedy Jr. holding Israeli flags.

"Yep," Strickland replied.

@StopZionistHate Yep
— (@)

Parsing through Strickland's messaging, it is often the case in mixed martial arts that fighters will fly flags related to their ethnic background or birthplace as opposed to the country of their permanent residence.

While there are few controversial topics Strickland hasn't spoken at length about, he has made many comments about both Israel and Ukraine.

"105 billion to Israel and Ukraine.... Yall its time for the revolution......Its time... America can't be fixed at this point," he said in October 2023.

In February 2024, Strickland responded to claims that he hates the countries that the U.S. government provides aid for.

"'You hate Palestine' 'you hate jews' 'you hate Ukraine' I am an American. I hate every year my dollar [is] less and you all have to work harder and longer for less because these c***s spend your money on other countries," Strickland wrote before escalating his tone. "YOUR SIDE IS AMERICA F*** THESE POLITICIANS. TRAITORS!"

"you hate Palestine" \n"you hate jews"\n "you hate Ukraine"\n\nI am an American.I hate every year my dollar less and you all have to work harder and longer for less because these cunts spend your money on other countries\n\nYOUR SIDE IS AMERICA FUCK THESE POLITICIANS. TRAITORS!
— (@)

Strickland is also consistently asked by readers why he doesn't mention specific countries when he calls for the end of U.S. funding to other nations. The fighter has addressed this on multiple occasions.

Shortly after the Palestinian attack on Israel, when the fighter declared that he didn't care about other countries, he was criticized for not outright declaring support for a "free Palestine."

"You're right... Free Palestine!! Did it work? Are they free yet??" Strickland asked an X user.

"What I'm saying it doesn't matter what you post, what you say.... This only ends one way..... but yeah sure free Palestine lol.... Palestine doesn't win this.... sorry."

You're right... Free Palestine!!\n\nDid it work? Are they free yet??\n\nLmao you see what I'm saying it doesn't matter what you post, what you say.... This only ends one way..... but yeah sure free Palestine lol.... Palestine doesn't win this.... sorry.
— (@)

Sean Strickland is scheduled to fight Brazilian Paulo Costa at UFC 302 on June 1, 2024.

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Sean Strickland and Elon Musk call out woke gaming company Sweet Baby Inc as 'leftist cesspool' and 'evil blight'



Former UFC Champion Sean Strickland and X owner Elon Musk have entered into the arena of the biggest controversy in the video game industry in years.

With diversity, equity, and inclusion narratives forcefully injected into gaming in recent years, gamers have finally started to pinpoint the culprits. One such company, Sweet Baby Inc., was recently accused of going after gamers when one of the company's employees allegedly encouraged followers to mass report a community that was forming in opposition to DEI in gaming.

The gaming community's apparent crime was simply pointing out which games Sweet Baby Inc. had worked on as a way of warning fellow gamers that such titles were likely ripe with diversity-driven narratives. Employee Chris Kindred allegedly said that this constituted "harassment."

Musk recently commented on the phenomenon of woke gaming in response to an episode of "The Matt Walsh Show." Walsh's podcast not only mentioned Sweet Baby Inc. but also a developer who works under the umbrella of publishing giant Electronic Arts. It was noted that a developer named Danielle Lalonders had said that it is sometimes "hard to work with white people" because they often don't realize they are committing a "microaggression."

"Video games need to get rid of the woke bs," Musk wrote. "Getting lectured with tedious propaganda is not why people play games!"

Days later, Musk commented on the aforementioned Sweet Baby Inc. employee, Kindred, who was again accused of going after a different gamer for "harassment."

"Sweet Baby Inc is an evil blight on the gaming industry. All they do is make games terrible and try to cancel people. They cannot go broke soon enough!" Musk added.

@stillgray Sweet Baby Inc is an evil blight on the gaming industry. All they do is make games terrible and try to cancel people. \n\nThey cannot go broke soon enough!
— (@)

Strickland, the outspoken former middleweight champion, took the opportunity to quote Musk's comments and use them as a way to show that Sweet Baby Inc. is a microcosm of his issues with the gaming industry.

"'Sean why aren't you in the UFC game,'" Strickland wrote to emulate an exchange he has had. "Years later being a top contender 'Wow your stats are so low,'" he continued.

"Well you guys, the video game industry is [a] leftist cesspool. I am the definition of what these people hate... BUT! I take it as a compliment:) thanks," he added.

"Sean why aren't you in the UFC game"\nYears later being a top contender\n"Wow your stats are so low"\n\nWell you guys, the video game industry is leftist cesspool. I am the definition of what these people hate....\n\nBUT! I I take it as a compliment:) thanks.
— (@)

Neither Sweet Baby Inc. nor employee Kindred have replied to requests for comments, however Sweet Baby Inc.'s founder, Kim Belair, has made public statements about the issue.

"People can’t imagine that we might do anything else but DEI," she told website Kotaku. "They can’t imagine that we’re just talented writers, that we’re talented narrative designers and that people are hiring us because we tell good stories, because we collaborate well, and because we write video games. They have to diminish our accomplishments to our identities."

However, a Brazilian gamer called Kabrutus — who was allegedly targeted by Sweet Baby Inc.'s employee — told Blaze News that gamers are intentionally silenced.

"I think that they just want to silence anyone who doesn't like what they do. They even tried to get me banned on Steam and lose my 13-year-old account."

The gamer also referred to a statement posted on the group's page, which noted that it was not, by any means, "a group that is trying to 'kill' [Sweet Baby Inc.] or even convince people to not buy any game that they've worked on."

Sweet Baby Inc. and its employee did not immediately respond to further request for comment regarding Strickland and Musk's statements.

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'You guys think you're bada**': Sean Strickland receives hate, support from Navy SEALs after comparing training regimens

'You guys think you're bada**': Sean Strickland receives hate, support from Navy SEALs after comparing training regimens



UFC fighter Sean Strickland elicited strong responses after posting a video in which he said that United States Navy SEALs would not be able to handle his training regimen.

Strickland, a recent UFC middleweight champion, is no stranger to controversial rants. This includes his recent video post comparing his fitness to that of military special operations training.

"I don't think there's one f**king Navy SEAL who could survive a week training with me. I'm kind of sick of seeing it 'cause like you guys think you're bada**," Strickland said in a video from inside a car.

"Come train with me for a week, I'll show you what's up. I'll f**king break you," he added.

Strickland's words garnered a response from actual Navy SEALs, both good and bad.

Former SEAL Jimmy Watson posted a video in direct response to Strickland's, mocking the fighter for comparing the training. Watson stated that while Strickland's training could get people hurt, a SEAL training exercise could result in death.

"Sean, we get it, you're a bada**," Watson began. "Your training partners get millions of dollars, and they actually live. My swim buddies, they die every single year. Do you have any idea what that means? We've already proven that any kind of beatdown will not break us, but our training will simply just end your career, Sean."

"I'm talking about skin grafts on the thigh, Sean. You talk about taking people's souls from their body? Well, me and my boys we've actually taken a lot of real souls from people, you know what I'm saying bro?" Watson continued.

The former SEAL added that Strickland's training "doesn't kill dudes every single year," ending with "advice" for the UFC fighter: "Stay in the Octagon, keep fighting for that next purse and U.S. SEALs, we'll keep fighting for freedom, brother."

Watson's video has been viewed on Instagram approximately 550,000 times.

Another former Navy SEAL, Andy Stumpf, had a different response, however. He said that he spoke directly with Strickland after the video and exchanged professional words. Stumpf said that Strickland even offered to have the former military member attend his training camp or a fight.

Stumpf described that both Strickland and Watson were playing characters.

"He's playing a character. It's part of who he is and what he does inside of the UFC. If you think that the SEAL — or the guy who was a SEAL — that responds to him is also not playing a character, then I don't know what to tell you."

Stumpf wasn't pleased with Watson's depiction of his trade either, calling it "one of the worst representations of the SEAL Community possible."

"That guy ... yeah he needs to shut the f**k up," he added.

Stumpf told Patrick Bet-David that the overall branding from Watson needed to be dialed down in terms of dramatization, and that presenting a Navy SEAL's role in such a manner involved far too much romanticizing.

"Stop being a clown on Instagram," he requested. "The only reason that he is responding in the manner that he is, trying to draw more attention from the video that Sean created."

Stumpf also pointed toward a 2022 SEC ruling, which ordered Watson to pay a "disgorgement of $316,401.48 and prejudgment interest of $59,533.38."

Watson was involved with the late anti-virus creator John McAfee and was accused of concocting a "scheme to profit from a crypto asset security by secretly accumulating a large position in McAfee's accounts, touting that security on Twitter while intending to sell it, and then selling McAfee's holdings as the price rose."

Watson was therefore barred from "participating, directly or indirectly, in the issuance, purchase, offer, or sale of any digital asset security," except for in regard to his own personal assets.

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