Strickland Drops Buckley in Sparring Footage After Racial Slur Confrontation

Joaquin Buckley confronted Sean Strickland in person about a racial slur the UFC middleweight champion used at a Brand Risk event in May.

Buckley filmed the interaction and posted it online.

Strickland responded by sharing a clip of himself dropping Buckley during sparring.

The public feud between two former training partners erupted on social media in early November 2026.

It started with a remark Strickland made months earlier.

At a Brand Risk event in May 2026, Strickland casually repeated the N-word after someone else said it.

"Tap n—a, I like that," Strickland said on camera.

The comment drew backlash at the time but faded without a direct confrontation.

Buckley, a welterweight contender, decided that was not enough.

More than two weeks after his knockout loss to Mike Malott at UFC Edmonton, Buckley tracked Strickland down at a recent event.

Buckley brought an associate with him.

In grainy footage shared online, the two men approached Strickland and immediately brought up the slur.

"I see what you trying to do," Buckley told Strickland.

"Brother, don’t call people the N-word. It’s offensive, G," Buckley’s associate added.

"It’s disrespectful, bro."

Strickland did not back down.

"If anybody tells me not to do anything, I am gonna do it," he responded.

The exchange grew tense but remained mostly civil.

After a few minutes, the two parties separated without a physical fight.

Buckley then posted the video on social media with a caption explaining his motives.

"We saw Strickland and I approached him and I let him know I know what he doing but these platforms you got to be careful what you say at all time," Buckley wrote.

He insisted he approaches everyone with the same attitude in these situations.

Buckley also alleged that people avoid him when he tries to have these conversations.

The footage spread quickly across social media.

Strickland did not let it sit unanswered.

He responded with a clip from the gym showing him landing a shot that sent a fighter to the canvas.

The caption read: "Sit down Buckley."

Strickland left no doubt about who he meant.

Buckley replied in the comments: "Love it. #NowDoItAgain."

The sparring footage is grainy and offers no date.

It is unclear whether the clip shows a recent session or something from years ago.

It does not confirm what a real fight between the two would look like.

Strickland is the reigning UFC middleweight champion.

Buckley fights at welterweight, one division below.

Strickland also took a dig at Buckley’s recent record.

Buckley is coming off a knockout loss to Mike Malott at UFC Edmonton in October 2026.

That defeat snapped a three-fight winning streak.

Strickland, 35, has not fought since retaining his title earlier in 2026.

The confrontation over the slur is not the only controversy Buckley has waded into recently.

Buckley also questioned Dustin Poirier over Poirier’s use of a racial slur during Poirier’s June arrest at Atlanta airport.

Buckley criticized Poirier for praising heavyweight contender Josh — the source cuts off before the name is completed.

Strickland, meanwhile, has been making headlines outside the octagon for his shifting political views.

Once a vocal supporter of Donald Trump, Strickland has recently turned on the president and Vice President JD Vance.

After the Republican losses in the 2026 midterm elections, Vance posted a lengthy explanation on social media about why the GOP failed.

Strickland replied directly: "You lost because you and Trump lied about everything..."

Earlier in 2026, Strickland claimed he was banned from the UFC White House event over anti-Israel comments he made online.

That snub appeared to accelerate his break from the Trump administration.

Strickland has never shied away from confrontation or controversy.

He is known for his unfiltered speech and willingness to engage with anyone, online or in person.

Buckley has positioned himself as someone willing to hold fighters accountable for their language.

Whether the sparring clip settles anything is an open question.