Sean Strickland sparks controversy with racist remarks aimed at Belal Muhammad ahead of UFC 304.

Former UFC middleweight champion Sean Strickland has escalated his taunting and verbal assaults on Belal Muhammad. Despite competing in different weight classes, Strickland and Muhammad share a deep-seated rivalry. Their ongoing feud became evident during a heated exchange at the UFC Apex, which quickly spread across social media.

Belal Muhammad is set to face UFC welterweight champion Leon Edwards in the main event of UFC 304 this Saturday in Manchester. Muhammad enters the long-awaited title fight on a 10-fight unbeaten streak, including victories over several top welterweight contenders.

The controversy took a concerning turn on Thursday when Strickland made a highly questionable comment on his recent Instagram post about Muhammad, suggesting a stereotypical and offensive reason for airport security measures. “Belal looks like the reason why I have to take off my shoes at the airport,” Strickland commented on a post featuring Muhammad’s image.

As of this writing, Muhammad has yet to respond to Strickland’s comment. The post drew immediate criticism from fans who condemned Strickland’s remark.

This is not the first time Strickland has made controversial statements outside the Octagon. He has previously shared contentious views on women, the LGBTQ community, and Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.

Strickland recently returned to the middleweight championship contention with a decisive win over Paulo Costa at UFC 302 and is awaiting a title shot, possibly instead of facing another top contender like Robert Whittaker.

Meanwhile, Muhammad is poised to add a UFC world championship to his resume this weekend in Manchester, having defeated fighters like Stephen Thompson, Demian Maia, and Vicente Luque during his UFC tenure.

Strickland is known for pushing his opinions on various topics, and when it comes to Muhammad, he appears to have crossed the line in his disregard for his championship-contending rival.