Police Release Statement on Sean Strickland's Removal from UFC White House Freedom 250 Fan Fest
UFC middleweight champion Sean Strickland was removed from the Freedom 250 fan festival on Sunday evening at the Ellipse across the street from the White House lawn nearly two hours before the start of the main card.
"The unplanned presence of Sean Strickland drew significant attention from attendees, resulting in disorder," the United States Park Police Public Information Office wrote in a statement, per ESPN's Michael Rothstein. "Due to concerns for Strickland's safety and the safety of event patrons, personnel from the U.S. Marshals Service, U.S. Park Police, and other assisting agencies evacuated him safely from the area."
Strickland spent the week leading up to Sunday's Freedom 250 showing up at various events and interacting with fans despite not being on the fight card. It sounds like his arrival at the fan festival was the breaking point.
After being removed from the Ellipse, Strickland posted an Instagram story thanking fans for their support and claiming that he might have been cited for disorderly conduct. However, the police denied that notion.
"Strickland was neither cited nor arrested in connection with the incident," the Park Police wrote. "However, he was advised not to return to the venue for his own and public safety."
The police added that Strickland returned to his hotel without incident. He posted a tweet calling the fan who snuck him into the festival "a f--king legend."
Strickland became the UFC middleweight champion for the second time in his career after defeating Khamzat Chimaev in the main event of UFC 328 last month. His split-decision win leaves the door open for a potential rematch down the line, but UFC president Dana White didn't commit to naming his next opponent.
"Khamzat right now is asking for the rematch with Strickland," White said on The Bret Boone Podcast, per Farah Hannoun of MMA Junkie. "That's what he wants. We don't know what we're going to do yet. Strickland will fight anybody."
