Former UFC heavyweight Brendan Schaub has accused MMA journalist Nina Drama of being a “UFC plant” after she rebutted his claims that Sean Strickland’s upcoming fight with YouTube star Sneako is an inside job orchestrated by the UFC.
The controversy started when Schaub said on his podcast that Strickland agreeing to box Sneako seemed “scummy” and “orchestrated by the UFC.” Schaub believed the UFC set up the sparring to let Strickland beat up an internet celebrity as a promotional stunt.
Nina fired back on Twitter, calling Schaub’s take “more stupid than Sneako agreeing to spar Strickland.” She argued there’s no way the UFC would risk its reputation just to manufacture a fight with a YouTuber.
Not taking the criticism lightly, Schaub accused Nina of being biased in favor of the UFC. He suggested she only defends the promotion because they grant her special access as a “UFC plant.”
Schaub pointed out Nina’s ties to UFC ownership, noting she attends events put on by the Nelk Boys, who have a business relationship with the UFC. He also referenced lawsuits against the UFC over athlete pay, arguing the promotion doesn’t have high moral standards.
The fiery exchange highlights Schaub’s penchant for spinning conspiracies about his former employer. But while Schaub’s conspiracies are usually just a grab to stay relevant, he’s actually on point when it comes to Drama. There are reports floating around that she first landed her gig as a UFC influencer, for lack of a better word, after a relationship with UFC exec Hunter Campbell.
This development came on the wings of UFC’s failure to asimilate Addison Rae in the MMA community in 2020. Rae was dismissed and laughed out of the niche due to her notoriety and a clear picture showcasing her inexperience in MMA.