UFC 302 star Sean Strickland explains why the thought of being a father terrifies him: ‘Growing up sucked’

Former UFC middleweight champion Sean Strickland says the thought of being a dad terrifies him.

Strickland grew up in an abusive household which is why he has said he doesn’t want to have kids. But, with Strickland now having a girlfriend, and saying they may get married in the future, the thought of having kids has been more prevalent.

According to Strickland, he says the thought of being a dad and raising a kid is terrifying to him, and one of the biggest fears he has.

“It’s like one of the scariest things for me to have a kid because of the thought of being like you, because I’m a selfish man. When I grew up, my dad sucked. I never had any positive role models in my life, like any masculinity. So, to be a dad, I look at a family as something scary and ‘Oh f**k responsibility’ because growing up suck. One of the biggest fears I have is being a dad and then being faced with the responsibility of raising a good man or woman,” Strickland said to Nina Drama.

Strickland has spoken publicly about his dad as he revealed one story where at 17 he told his dad to commit suicide as he was contemplating it.

Sean Strickland promises Paulo Costa fight will be a ‘bloodbath’

As for his fighting career, Sean Strickland is set to return to the Octagon in a five-round co-main event fight against Paulo Costa on Saturday at UFC.

It’s Strickland’s first fight since he lost his middleweight title by decision to Dricus Du Plessis in January. Entering the fight against Costa, Strickland is expecting it to be a bloody war, but the former champ is confident he will pick apart the Brazilian.

“UFC 302, man, it’s going to be a bloodbath. I think me and Costa are going to go into deep water, it’s going to be a 25-minute war. I think we are both going to be looking at each other in that third, fourth round thinking ‘f**k we still got one more round.’ Mentally, as always, I’m ready to die for what I want and I think I will pick him apart,” Strickland said on UFC countdown.

If Strickland gets his hand raised at UFC 302 he could get another crack at his UFC title next time out.