Dana White, CEO and president of the UFC, explained the concept of free speech to a reporter after Saturday's fight.
During a post-fight press conference, White fielded questions from reporters in Toronto, Canada. One of the reporters referenced infamously heated language displayed by fighters of the organization during previous press conferences in promotion of upcoming fights.
"You obviously give a long leash to your fighters about what they can say when they are up there with the UFC microphone," the reporter noted.
The reporter criticized fighters who had engaged in "homophobia" and "transphobia" while representing the organization.
"I don't give anybody a leash," White said, cutting the reporter off.
"A leash?" White continued as the reporter attempted to clarify, though the UFC president added, "Free speech."
"Control what people say? Gonna tell people what to believe?" White continued. "I don't f---ing tell any other human being what to say, what to think."
White said none of his fighters have "leashes" in terms of curbing their speech.
"What is your question?" White asked, to which the reporter said the UFC president had addressed it and said he would move on. "That's ridiculous to say I give somebody a leash."
"Free speech, brother. People can say whatever they want, and they can believe whatever they want," White added.
Leading up to Saturday's UFC 297 in Toronto, fighter Sean Strickland sparred with one Canadian reporter during a press conference in promotion of his Saturday fight against Dricus Du Plessis.
One reporter noted Toronto had an "impressive gay and lesbian community" and referenced Strickland's 2021 comments in which the fighter said he would feel "failed as a man" if his son was gay.
Strickland appeared amused by the question and asked if the reporter, who said he was an "ally" of the LGBTQ+ community, his opinion on the matter. The reporter said he would have "no problem" if his son was gay, to which Strickland called him a "weak f---ing man."
"You're part of the f---ing problem," Strickland told the reporter before criticizing Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau's decision to seize bank accounts of truckers protesting COVID-19 vaccine mandates in 2022.
"Go f--- yourself," Strickland added, giving the reporter the middle finger. "Move the f--- on, f---ing coward."
The reporter followed up his question and asked Strickland about other previous comments regarding the transgender community following Bud Light's decision to sponsor the UFC after their infamous sponsorship of TikTok influencer and transgender activist Dylan Mulvaney earlier last year.
Strickland said someone identifying as transgender a decade ago was seen as having a "mental f---ing illness."
"Now, all of a sudden, people like you have f---ing weaseled your way into the world," the fighter said, pointing at the reporter.
"You are an infection," Strickland said. "You are the definition of weakness. Everything that is wrong with the world is because of f---ing you."
"You wanna look at the f---ing enemy to our world? It's that motherf---er right there," Strickland added.
