MMA journalist Ariel Helwani recently dissected a viral confrontation between UFC middleweight Sean Strickland and controversial figure Derek Moneyberg. In a recent video, he praised Strickland’s unflinching delivery during the heated exchange.
Moneyberg is an online wealth coach who has garnered significant attention in MMA and BJJ circles. With 4.1 million Instagram followers, he’s become a polarizing figure after earning his BJJ black belt in just three and a half years from training partners including Glover Teixeira, Leota Machida, Jake Shields, and Frank Mir.
“He claims 3,000 hours of one-on-one training with the best training team in history,” Helwani explained during his show. “Zero days missed over three and a half years of training with these guys.”
The rapid progression has drawn comparisons to BJ Penn’s legendary three-year black belt achievement, though critics note Moneyberg accomplished this at age 50.
The controversy deepened when Jake Shields officially awarded Moneyberg his black belt in December, with many in the BJJ community questioning the legitimacy of such rapid advancement. Craig Jones and other high-level practitioners have publicly criticized the promotion, viewing it as purchased rather than earned.
Helwani was particularly impressed with Strickland’s confrontational style in the leaked video. “His delivery in this interaction I found to be hilarious,” Helwani noted, praising how Strickland continued speaking to the camera while simultaneously confronting Moneyberg. “This thing of him not looking at Derek while still talking about Derek, for some reason, just cracks me up.”
During the confrontation, Strickland accused Moneyberg of being “a fraud” and “dishonest,” claiming he “takes advantage of well-paid UFC fighters who are great men who are just trying to make their mortgage and live a life.” Strickland refused to engage privately, insisting the conversation remain public because “what I have to say is factual.”
Helwani’s analysis revealed suspicious social media patterns, with Moneyberg’s posts consistently receiving exactly 40,000 likes and 30-35 comments, suggesting artificial engagement. Despite training with elite competitors like Brendan Allen and Gilbert Burns, critics note the conspicuous absence of actual rolling footage.
