Sean Strickland slams Bud Light over Dustin Poirier sponsorship cut

UFC middleweight champion Sean Strickland has lashed out at Bud Light for terminating Dustin Poirier's sponsorship deal following the retired fighter's arrest at Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport on a public drunkenness charge. Poirier was taken into custody after threatening to fight a police officer while intoxicated and using a racial slur. Since the incident, Poirier has acknowledged his mistake and opened up about his struggles with alcoholism, committing to sobriety in retirement.

Strickland, despite initially mocking Poirier for citing depression as a factor in the incident, has since pivoted to vocal support for "The Diamond." The UFC title holder believes Bud Light's decision to drop Poirier was unjust and corporate in nature. Speaking on the Shawn Ryan Show, Strickland (31–7) argued that a beer company sponsoring a fighter should take responsibility when drinking becomes an issue, rather than abandoning the fighter at a vulnerable moment.

Strickland pointed to Bud Light's 2023 partnership with transgender influencer Dylan Mulvaney as evidence of the company's poor judgment overall. He contended that if Bud Light truly cared about responsible sponsorship, they should have offered Poirier support to address his alcohol abuse—particularly given their own product's role in the lifestyle. Instead, Strickland said, the brand cut ties the moment Poirier's public image became a liability, treating him as disposable. Poirier (30–10) has since vowed to focus on recovery and maintaining sobriety as he moves forward.