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NPR News: 07-27-2026 12AM EDT

Explore episode Jul 27, 2026

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Sleeping in the Gym: The Reality of Being a Broke UFC Fighter

#325 Sean Strickland - The Most Controversial Fighter in th… · Jul 27, 2026 Sports

New UFC fighters sign for $10,000 to show and $10,000 to win — after taxes and management fees, a loss nets maybe $7,000–$8,000. Strickland slept in his coach's gym and rode a bike to training. He was making $1,000 per fight before getting UFC-signed, with no GED, no car, and no social skills. The UFC, he argues, is predatory — but for guys from Brazilian favelas or Dagestan, that money still changes lives.

Sports
UFC Fan Expo Stampede: How Sean Almost Killed Someone in a Crowd

#325 Sean Strickland - The Most Controversial Fighter in th… · Jul 27, 2026 Sports

Strickland describes sneaking into a UFC Fan Expo, quickly being recognized, and finding himself at the center of a wall of fans closing in. He realized in real time how crowd crush deaths happen — one person can't move because the crowd behind them is a wall. He jumped in the octagon just to survive. US Marshals had to physically fight fans back. He credits them with saving at least one life that day.

Sports
Fighting as the Only Thing That Gave Sean Strickland a Reason to Live

#325 Sean Strickland - The Most Controversial Fighter in th… · Jul 27, 2026 Sports

At 14–15, Strickland walked into a gym and got beaten bloody by men 5 years older. It was the first time in his life he felt something other than hate. The gym gave him community, identity, and a channel for violence that wasn't going to land him in prison. Without it, he says, his path was a serial killer's: one horrific act, institutionalization, release, another act, repeat.

Sports
The Trump Birthday Party Ban and the UFC Blacklist

#325 Sean Strickland - The Most Controversial Fighter in th… · Jul 27, 2026 Sports

Strickland was not White House-cleared for UFC 314 at America's 250th celebration — and the UFC also denied him security or fan expo passes. He can't blame either: he admits he would have grabbed a microphone and started calling out pedophiles in the Epstein files. He credits the US Marshals who controlled the crowd that day with saving at least his own life.

Sports
Mexico Wins & Bobby's Korea Shame Rant

Dating Asian Orange · Jul 27, 2026 Sports

Bobby and Andrew dissect Mexico's World Cup win, gush over Messi still cooking 19-year-olds at age 40, and riff on the wild celebrations in North Hollywood. Bobby watched the game from his hotel while Mexico fans rioted in Van Nuys.