Strickland Blasts Bud Light After Poirier Sponsorship Cut
Sean Strickland went after Bud Light for terminating Dustin Poirier's sponsorship deal following the former lightweight contender's arrest at Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport earlier this month.
Poirier was charged with public drunkenness after he threatened to fight a police officer while intoxicated and used a racial slur during the incident. The retired fighter has since acknowledged the episode and revealed he is battling alcoholism, pledging to remain sober going forward. Bud Light cut ties with Poirier in the wake of the arrest, per Sherdog.
Strickland Says Bud Light Should Have Helped, Not Cut Ties
Strickland told the Shawn Ryan Show that the beverage company should have reached out to Poirier with support rather than severing the relationship. The UFC middleweight champion referenced Bud Light's 2023 controversy involving transgender influencer Dylan Mulvaney, saying the company had already lost credibility with consumers before the Poirier situation.
The two-time titleholder said Bud Light's response was opportunistic. He argued that a company selling alcohol should have offered assistance to a sponsored athlete struggling with drinking rather than walking away to protect its image. Strickland initially mocked Poirier after the arrest but has since expressed support for the Louisiana native.
Poirier retired with a 30-10 record after his loss to Islam Makhachev at UFC 302 last year. Strickland holds the middleweight belt with a 31-7 mark and has not announced his next title defense.
Original reporting:
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