Sean Strickland has slammed
UFC commentator Jon Anik for voicing his frustration with the mixed martial arts fan base.
Anik recently revealed his heightened frustration with MMA fans due to the negativity he received following Strickland’s
UFC 297 title loss against
Dricus Du Plessis. Strickland dropped a closely-contested split decision against “Stillknocks” in a fight that was viewed as a toss-up. According to Anik, MMA fans responded with hatred no matter how objectively analysts tried to explain Du Plessis’ victory. The UFC color commentator even went to the extent of teasing a career switch to the NFL.
“I am growing tired of this MMA space a little bit and just the morass of negativity when there is a close fight,” Anik said on the
Anik & Florian podcast. “Because even if you and I both thought
Dricus Du Plessis won the fight, we try to present that information respectfully. When I go onto X or I go to our YouTube comments, it just seems like a lot of these fans are just in attack mode. I don’t know if these fans are casual fans or not, but I appreciate the passion. But I’m getting to the point at 45 years of age where I don’t know how much time I have left in this MMA space because if I go do pro football, I’m not going to necessarily be dealing with this lowest common denominator all the time. I don’t know, man.
“I just feel like there’s a lot of malice and disrespect from the fanbase. We can disagree. Don’t take it from me.
Demetrious Johnson and
Kenny Florian thought DDP won the fight. I don’t know. I’ve just been very off-put with the negativity that has permeated my feed since Saturday night. I’m just not sure how much longer I have in this space.”
According to Strickland, Anik should probably consider a switch to the NFL given his frustration with MMA fans.
“What [I’d] say to Jon Anik calling [MMA] fans ‘the lowest common denominator:’ These people are the way you have a paycheck, and you make way more than most,” Strickland wrote. “Maybe the NFL is a better choice for you than MMA. Also, you guys are a bunch of savage c—ts. I’m here for it.”
Anik has since issued an apology to MMA fans, taking responsibility for his comments while also saying that they were sensationalized.
“Last week on my podcast, I was in a heightened emotional state following myriad allegations of bias at UFC 297 and I made some regrettable comments relating to the MMA fan base,” Anik wrote on
Instagram. “While I was surprised at the extent to which my comments were re-purposed and sensationalized, I need to be more responsible on an open microphone.
Sean Strickland has slammed UFC commentator Jon Anik for voicing his frustration with the mixed martial arts fan base.
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