Brand Risk 14, a hybrid boxing/MMA card featuring a host of pseudo-celebrities and social media content creators, has caused a firestorm of controversy after taking place at the Meta Apex in Las Vegas over the weekend.
Not surprisingly, UFC middleweight champion Sean Strickland is part of said controversy.
Strickland, who seems to talk his way in all sorts of trouble at the best of times, managed to let slip with an N-bomb on air while appearing as a guest broadcaster during Saturday’s event. In fairness to Strickland, he was repeating a comment made by one of the fighters in the ring. On the other hand, there’s just some things you probably shouldn’t repeat on an official broadcast.
“Tap n*gga, I like that,” Strickland could be overheard saying, repeating a line said in the ring during a heavyweight fight between the rather rotund No Neck Jay and Shane Chance.
Sean Strickland dropped the N Word while commentating on Adin Ross’ Brand Risk boxing event 💀
“tap N*gga” 😭😭 pic.twitter.com/oFuCF0TgtL
— ClipGD (@ClipGD) May 24, 2026
Not surprisingly, the internet is all talk about Strickland’s use of the phrase, given he’s been upfront about nearly ending up a white supremacist in his youth.
Regardless of his on air actions, Strickland wound up exiting the event early, and later released a statement admitting he was embarrassed to have been involved with Brand Risk at all.
“I’ve never been a part of anything so shameful in my life and I hate myself,” Strickland said on social media (h/t MMA Fighting). “And I feel like less of a man after being here. Oh, God, why did I agree to this? …
“I had to get the f*ck out of there, man. … I like Adin [Ross, Brand Risk’s promoter], but I’m like sick to my f*cking stomach. That is f*cked up. This is the most f*cked up thing I’ve ever witnessed in my f*cking life. I’m ready to go home and look myself in the mirror after, I’ve never done anything so shameful in my life being a part of this. Sorry, guys. Was just trying to say hi to a friend, next thing you know, your dignity is gone.”
Strickland later took a dig at the streamer and content creator community. “It’s so f*cking sad to think that the streamer community is going to inherit America. It’s so bad. I just want it all to stop. It’s so bad, you guys. It’s so bad.”