"That would be terrible" - Veronica Hardy hilariously addresses rumors of Sean Strickland having to train with women as punishment 

Sean Strickland was suspended for six months by the Nevada State Athletic Commission for attacking another fighter at a Tuff-N-Uff event on June 29, 2025. The suspension, made official on August 21 and retroactive to the incident date, also included a $5,000 fine and $157 in attorney fees.

The altercation took place after Luis Hernandez defeated Strickland’s teammate Miles Hunsinger via guillotine choke. When Hernandez celebrated and taunted Hunsinger’s corner, Strickland charged into the cage and threw punches before being restrained by security.

Since the suspension, Strickland has been sidelined from competition but remains active at Xtreme Couture in Las Vegas, where he continues to train and help teammates. Recently, he was spotted assisting women’s flyweight fighter Veronica Hardy during her camp for UFC 320.

A photo of the two went viral after Hardy posted it online, showing Strickland’s disinterested look as he stood among a group of female fighters. Fans quickly joked that part of his punishment was to coach women’s MMA.

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Hardy later clarified the post in good humor, laughing at the suggestion that working with women could ever be considered a disciplinary measure. Speaking in an interview with Home of Fight, Hardy said:

“What do you, what can you say? Bro, seriously? What is more sexist than the fact that his punishment has to be to coach women, but how can that be real? I didn’t know if the commission was on some... Yeah, that would be terrible. Like, many women fight on the same cards. That can’t be a punishment."

Check out Veronica Hardy's comments below:

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Sean Strickland slams UFC for ‘outsourcing’ to foreign fighters amid pay concerns

Sean Strickland recently criticized the UFC for allegedly relying heavily on international fighters. He argued that the promotion “outsources” talent to countries where athletes can afford to fight for lower pay.

He claimed that entry-level contracts offering $10,000 to show and $10,000 to win make it difficult for American fighters to sustain a career in the sport. Speaking in an interview with MMA Junkie, Strickland said:

“It just kind of annoys me, too, the direction the UFC goes, they just outsource. They just outsource UFC to these poor countries and these guys go fight for 10 and 10 on the Contenders, and they go back and live in Rio, and they just made 20 or 30 grand living like f*cking kings.”

He added:

“You’re really limiting the U.S. market because you’re not paying these guys any money,” he added. “So you’ve got little Joaquin Jackson who has a choice, go play football, or go be a UFC champion. That man’s going to go play football.”

Edited by Abhishek Nambiar