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United States – UFC middleweight Sean Strickland has publicly apologized to fellow American fighter Dustin Poirier for earlier comments dismissing Poirier’s depression and questioning the legitimacy of his mental health struggles. Strickland issued the apology on social media on Tuesday, July 7, 2026, saying it came after a private telephone conversation between the two men. The dispute stemmed from Poirier’s arrest on June 21, 2026, at an airport in Atlanta, Georgia, where he was removed from a commercial flight and charged following an altercation with airport staff and law enforcement officers. United States – Poirier later discussed the incident on the podcast “The Diary of a CEO” with host Steven Bartlett, revealing that he had been dealing with severe depression linked to childhood trauma and his recent retirement from professional mixed martial arts. Strickland initially reacted on the social media platform X, writing that Poirier, as a wealthy and widely admired athlete, was “not allowed to be depressed,” and he further argued in video comments that clinical depression does not exist for people who are rich, successful and have families. He also downplayed Poirier’s airport arrest, saying getting kicked off a flight and confronting a police officer “happens to the best of us,” and compared Poirier’s condition to children with cancer, prompting strong backlash from fans, sports analysts and fellow fighters before he reversed course with his public apology.

Prepared by Emily Rhodes and reviewed by editorial team.