UFC champion Sean Strickland has slammed Colby Covington for the “c… move” that was reviving the memory of another fighter’s murdered father – before then being sledged for his own dad’s murky past while midway through one of several homophobic tirades.

At a press conference meant to launch the 2024 UFC calendar, Strickland instead took centre stage as he took shots at a host of fighters – including Covington, South Africa’s Dricus Du Plessis, UFC bantamweight champ Sean O’Malley, even Australia’s Robert Whittaker.

Most notably, the UFC middleweight champ branded Covington a “f…ing pussy”, called Du Plessis “a f….t”, and questioned why fans would cheer O’Malley given “he lets dudes f… his wife”.

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He also suggested Whittaker was a limited fighter and that he would “f…ing destroy” Australia’s first UFC champion.

Officially, the press event was to announce the opening to 2024, and included the six fighters involved in headliners for …

# UFC 297: Sean Strickland versus Dricus Du Plessis on January 21 in Toronto, Canada;

# UFC 298: Alexander Volkanovski versus Ilia Topuria on February 18 in Anaheim, California; and

# UFC 299: Sean O’Malley versus Marlon Vera at UFC 299 on March 10 in Miami, Florida.

It was also announced that UFC 300 will take place on April 14 in Las Vegas.

While Volkanovski had flown into Las Vegas specifically for the event, Australia’s UFC featherweight king barely got a word in as things got wild, then dark.

Strickland’s press conference antics came only a day after Covington ignited his own presser for Sunday’s UFC 296 blockbuster — where he fights reigning welterweight champ Leon Edwards

Asked about the fight, Covington said he was ready to take Edwards “to the seventh layer of hell” before adding, “We’ll say ‘what’s up’ to your dad while we’re there.”

Edwards’ father was murdered in a London nightclub when he was 13.

“So let me give you some facts on Colby,” Strickland started when asked for a response.

“Colby is an utter piece of s…

“If you know Colby on a personal level, he has f…ed over everybody he knows. I take Colby as personal insult to me.

“The Trumpsters, the Republicans, you guys are my people.

“Blue collar workers.

“And you have a c… like Colby, he don’t give a f… about you.

“And him making fun of Leon’s dad, that is the biggest c… move you can do.

“Dad, bad guy, good guy doesn’t matter.

“Leon’s mom raised the boy to be a f…ing man, win the title, be a f…ing good man.

“And a real American would applaud him for that.

“But just so you know Colby is a fake f…ing pussy. And if he was standing here next to me all he would do is call 911 because he is the

definition of a bitch.”

Du Plessis, meanwhile, also get personal with Strickland after being subjected to an ongoing barrage of homophobic slurs from the champion.

O’Malley also had a shot at the middleweight champ, who has previously spoken openly about his troubled past, saying: “At least my dad didn’t f… me”.

It was a similar story between the UFC 297 headliners, with the champ appearing to take issue with Du Plessis, after a win, being known to embrace and kiss his coach.

“I don’t need to finish you,” Strickland shouted at one point to Du Plessis. “Your coach will finish you in the back, like you’re f…ing used to.”

DDP: “Bro, why are you so angry?

“You think your dad beat the s… out of you? Your dad doesn’t have s… on me.

“Every childhood memory you have is going to come back when I’m in there with you.

“Every single one.

“The one where you lay in bed at night and you daddy comes in and beats the s… out of you …”

Strickland: “I’m going to take your f…ing soul, you understand?”

DDP: “(Laughing) I see I hit a nerve”.

Strickland: “Yeah, you did hit a nerve, you f…ing bitch”.

Earlier, Stricland also took aim at his South African rival, suggesting he had deliberately dodged the world title fight against Israel Adesanya – which he took, and won via upset, at UFC 293 in Sydney.

“Dricus had a pretty easy fight with Whittaker to his credit,” Strickland started.

“(But then) they offered him a world title and he said ‘no, I rolled my f…ing ankle’.

“So let’s talk about being scared.

“They offered me that, coming off the couch …”

It which point DDP interjected with: “Yeah, but you were ranked number seven.

“You knew you were never getting a title shot …”

Strickland: “I answered the f…ing call”.

DDP: “My guy you are not world championship material.

“You won by fluke and that’s the highest point in your life”.

Strickland: “I walked through Izzy and I’m going to walk through you, you mother…er.”

DDP: “You didn’t even finish him. You know how you walk through somebody you knock them out.

“You get the ref to say ‘stop you are going to kill this man’.

“You don’t let a judge decide.”

Strickland: “I walked through him while your bitch ass was icing an ankle.”

DDP: “And that was the height of your career.”

Strickland: “Shut the f… up, go f… your coach you faggot”.

Incredibly, the jawing started from the opening question with Strickland saying: “Dricus is a tough mother…er.

“He walked through Whittaker, f…ing tough guy.

“The only thing Dricus, you don’t let your coach grab your d… no more.

“It’s going to through me off.

“I’m going to be fighting him, look over and they’re going to be making out and s…, I can’t handle that s…

“Let’s just have a nice fight.

“No d… grabbing.”

While, meanwhile, Volkanovski appeared to get the biggest arrival ‘pop’ of fighters on stage, and with his limited time with microphone in hand simply promised to bounce back after being kayoed by Islam Makhachev.

The Sydneysider also addressed his emotional post-fight interview after that loss, where he spoke openly about his mental health.

So how is he feeling now?

“Oh man, I’m good,” Volkanovski said

“Youse have seen me in a vulnerable state, I just got knocked out. Camera was right in my face.

“Everyone goes through rough patches but it’s all about the bounce back.

“That’s what you need to remember.

“I’m glad I got to speak about that.

“People got to see me at my most vulnerable, but you’ll see me as the dominant champ that I’ve been in February.

“I’ll remind everybody.”

Asked about Topuria earlier, Volkanovski said: “He’s undefeated, so he’s confident.

“He’s backing his skills and he needs to.

“But I believe I’m going to teach him in lesson in February and can’t wait to do it.”

Is Topuria overconfident?

“There is no problem with being confident so long as you’re doing the work. Sometimes being delusional, cocky, it’s OK if you’re putting the work in.

“It can help sometimes.

“Is he doing the work? Or does he really think he’s that good?

“I don’t think he’s as good as he says he is.

“We’ll see February.”