WASHINGTON, D.C. -- UFC CEO Dana White scoffed at a claim that the promotion has banned middleweight champion Sean Strickland -- or anyone else for that matter -- from attending Sunday's UFC Freedom 250 at the White House, explaining that there is simply a very limited amount of space at the event, which will take place on the South Lawn.
Strickland, an outspoken 10-year veteran of the UFC, claimed last week that he had been blacklisted from the event because of recent comments he made about Israel and the Epstein files. White, speaking to media members Tuesday, cleared the air over the claim, saying that "literally nobody has been banned."
"Of course Sean Strickland isn't banned," White said. "Sean Strickland is banned from humanity. We don't want him near any human beings anywhere. He shows up at Power Slap and starts fights. He made it very clear he didn't want to be a part of this event, and now he's banned apparently -- nobody is banned. Nobody's music is banned, no media members have been banned."
White also appeared to address reports that credentialed White House media have also been restricted Sunday.
"There are 1,000 media members at the White House," White said. "We can't have 1,000 media members just show up at this thing. There are only 4,300 tickets."
According to White, the entire event was the idea of President Donald Trump. The event will take place on Trump's 80th birthday Sunday but has been promoted as a celebration of the 250th anniversary of U.S. independence.