Sean Strickland Ends Online Feud with Valentina Shevchenko

31 December 2023

An unexpected online clash between UFC middleweight champion Sean Strickland and former women's flyweight champion Valentina Shevchenko took an unusual turn as Strickland, typically known for his fiery tweets, surprisingly put an end to the feud.

The social media spat began when Strickland posted on-brand criticism of former UFC fighter Paige VanZant and women's MMA in general. Shevchenko swiftly responded, prompting Strickland to call out the 'Bullet.' However, in a surprising move, Strickland declared an end to the dispute, claiming to have cleared his head. His latest tweet addressed Shevchenko, acknowledging her head kicks and even suggesting a friendly meetup for shooting in Vegas.

This unexpected turn of events is rare for Strickland, who has engaged in numerous Twitter debates with hot takes in the past but rarely plays the role of peacemaker. Shevchenko, the former UFC women's flyweight champion, has yet to respond to Strickland's recent conciliatory message.

The initial provocation by Strickland targeted Paige VanZant, stating, "Women's MMA is lame. Men will pay more to see you naked than to watch you fight." Shevchenko promptly criticized Strickland, referring to him as an 'offended kid' and suggesting his reaction stemmed from losing a round against a female training partner. Strickland fired back, accusing Shevchenko of learning striking from a YouTube video and dismissing female MMA as akin to watching children fight.

However, later in the same day, Strickland issued an apology to Shevchenko, revealing that a '10 round death match' of sparring helped clear his mind. The UFC middleweight champion appeared eager to mend fences, inviting Shevchenko to join him for shooting in the future.

Fresh off his victory at UFC 293, Strickland is gearing up for his first title defense against Dricus Du Plessis in the inaugural pay-per-view event of 2024, set to take place in Canada. The unexpected truce with Shevchenko adds an intriguing twist to Strickland's social media narrative.