Before the Dricus fight, I was f-king riding with [motocross athlete] Axell Hodges and I broke my shoulder," Strickland said. "So I was in Colombia getting stem cells on my shoulder and they hit me up for the fight. The thing with the UFC, you don't say no. They are pimps. You don't say no to the masters. So I was kind of backed up into a corner taking that fight.
More specifically, Trump wants the event to held on July 4, 2026 the 250th birthday of the United States. If such an event does come to fruition, Trump can count Strickland out despite the fighter being among the president's most vocal supporters in the sport. On a recent livestream with internet streamer Adin Ross, Strickland explained why he wouldn't be a part of Trump's UFC event.