Sports Pundit Slams ESPN After UFC Star’s Shocking Comments Attacking the LGBTQ Community: ‘This Is Revolting!’
Sports pundit Mike Ryan called out ESPN for giving a platform to UFC star Sean Strickland following his obscene rant against the LGBTQ community.
Strickland is scheduled to take on Dricus Du Plessis at UFC 297 on Saturday. The event will be streamed on ESPN+.
During a press conference days before the fight, Strickland got into a heated exchange with a reporter who asked him about his previous comments toward the LGBTQ community. A livid Strickland called the reporter “weak” and “the enemy” for supporting gay and trans people.
“Ten years ago, to be trans was a mental fucking illness; and now, all of sudden, people like you have fucking weaseled your way in the world. You are an infection. You are the definition of weakness. Everything that is wrong with the world is because of fucking you,” Strickland declared in a shocking homophobic and dehumanizing rant.
On Tuesday, Ruiz called it “bullshit” that ESPN allowed it to happen on their platform.
“He’s wearing a t-shirt that says, ‘Women go back in the kitchen.’ Like, what are we doing?'” Ruiz said on The Dan Le Batard Show. “We haven’t even touched on that. That’s hatred of 40 years ago! We kinda got past that and now we’re just rehashing it because there has been a change. And it’s the same people that ask for politics to be kept out of sports and have introduced this vile hatred into it — while being platformed, while being legitimized as the former President of the United States sits next to [UFC President] Dana White at big, marquee events.”
Ryan then called on ESPN and Disney to condemn Strickland’s comments.
“I ask [ESPN Chairman] Jimmy Pitaro, what gonads are you gonna show me in this instance?” Ryan continued. “Because that pay-per-view is on ESPN+. That is on ESPN+; and I know Disney is an inclusive company. I work for it. You say nothing?
“I’m glad you made us play that video, because while the UFC isn’t gonna do anything about, I would challenge ESPN to make a public statement on this. Because that kind of hate is going over their airwaves — The Walt Disney Company. Are you a chicken shit that you allow this with impunity, regularly? But it’s never been this vile. The guy’s wearing a t-shirt that says, ‘Women belong in the kitchen. A gun in every hand.’ Disney’s a family company. Hell, Disney’s a company! Take family out of it. This is revolting! You have that guy’s last name on a pay-per-view. At the very least, condemn it!”
