NEWARK, N.J. – Before UFC 302, before he’d even officially used them in a real fight, former middleweight champion Sean Strickland was beyond critical of the new UFC gloves, lambasting the designers for trying to solve a problem when one didn’t exist.
“How did you a**holes think this was a good idea?” Strickland said at UFC 302 media day. “[The gloves] absolutely suck. UFC dropped the ball on that one.”
Back in April, the UFC announced the new gloves, touted by the promotion as being able to “significantly reduce” eye pokes and broken hands, would make their debut at UFC 302. After outpointing Paulo Costa for a split decision win this past Saturday, Strickland’s tune changed.
“At the end of the day, they’re f*cking gloves,” Strickland said during the UFC 302 post-event news conference. “I think I’m just an angry f*ck, and I’ll find any excuse to be mad. … But yeah, no, they’re fine. I don’t really know the purpose of them, but they’re fine.”
Strickland was among several UFC 302 winners to comment on the gloves, with many fighters feeling a sense of apathy about the change.
Listen to what they had to say in the video above.
For more on the card, visit MMA Junkie’s event hub for UFC 302.
