UFC president Dana White shut down a reporter over the weekend who questioned White about allowing his fighters — in this case, Sean Strickland — to speak their minds on hot-button topics, such as LGBT issues.

“You obviously give a long leash to your fighters about what they can say when they are up there with the UFC microphone, and you are getting into territory of homophobia, transphobia; like is there —,” the reporter started, before White interrupted him.

“I don’t give anybody a leash. A leash? Free speech,” White responded. “To control what people say? To tell people what to believe? I don’t tell any other f***ing human being what to say, what to think, and there’s no ‘leashes’ on any of them.”

“What is your question?” White stated bluntly. The reporter answered timidly, “I was asking that question. I’ll move on though.”

“Yeah, probably a good idea,” White shot back. “That’s ridiculous to say I give somebody a ‘leash.’ Free speech, brother. People can say whatever they want and they can believe whatever they want.”

White went on to illustrate his point that everyone can have their own views at the UFC, noting that two gay female fighters sat on a stage alongside Strickland following the fighter’s comments. “They could give a s*** what Sean Strickland thinks, or what he says, or what his beliefs are, or what his opinions are. Ya know what I mean?”

WATCH:

Strickland was asked before his weekend fight in Canada about a years-old social media post the reporter suggested was homophobic. Strickland, in turn, asked the reporter if he would be upset if his son were gay and therefore unable to give him biological grandchildren. The reporter said it would not matter to him, and Strickland responded, “Well then you’re a weak f***ing man. You’re part of the f***ing problem.”

“You elected Justin Trudeau,” the fighter continued, before referencing the nation’s draconian lockdown measures. “When he seized the bank accounts, like you’re just f***ing pathetic. The fact that you have no f***ing backbone and as he shut down your f***ing country and seized bank accounts, you ask me some stupid s*** like that.”

“Go f*** yourself,” Strickland said. “Move the f*** on man.”

The fighter later mentioned that transgenderism was considered a mental illness before it became a political football for the Left. “The world is not saying, ‘You’re right, chicks have d***s,” Strickland mocked. “The world is saying, ‘No, there are two genders.'”

Warning: language

Idk who this guy is and I don't care but you're not a man… But you'd take that as a compliment….. pic.twitter.com/PMR1h4Yp7K

— Sean Strickland (@SStricklandMMA) January 17, 2024

Related: UFC Fighter Delivers A Masterclass In How To Deal With The Media