Battle in the Gym: Kyle Rittenhouse’s Visit to Xtreme Couture Ignites UFC Star Feud
By USA News Today Live | Breaking News Reporter Published January 23, 2026
The world of mixed martial arts is no stranger to explosive confrontations, but the latest firestorm at Las Vegas’ famed Xtreme Couture gym didn’t happen inside the cage. Instead, a visit from one of the most polarizing figures in American politics, Kyle Rittenhouse, has sparked a vitriolic rift between two of the UFC’s most prominent training partners: former Middleweight Champion Sean Strickland and top-ranked welterweight Chris Curtis.
The incident, which was captured and shared on YouTube by activist and former fighter Jake Shields, has sent shockwaves through the MMA community, highlighting the deep political fissures that continue to permeate the sport in 2026.
A “Triggering Presence” in the Home of Champions
On Thursday, January 22, 2026, Sean Strickland—known as much for his unfiltered social media tirades as his striking—invited the 23-year-old Second Amendment advocate Kyle Rittenhouse to Xtreme Couture. Rittenhouse, who was acquitted of all charges in the 2020 Kenosha shootings after pleading self-defense, has recently re-emerged in the public eye following a quiet period.
Rittenhouse arrived at the gym looking noticeably slimmer, accompanied by his new wife, Bella Rittenhouse (née Susan Isabella Nelson). The couple, who married in mid-2025, made headlines recently with wedding photos that featured the bride holding a rifle—a nod to the couple’s staunch pro-gun stance.
While Strickland viewed the visit as a casual “meet-and-greet,” the atmosphere turned hostile when Chris Curtis, a mainstay at the gym and a longtime friend of Strickland, realized who the guest was.
“F**k This Guy”: The Confrontation
In the footage, Curtis can be seen visibly shaken and enraged. He confronted Strickland on the gym floor, refusing to acknowledge Rittenhouse’s presence.
“Sean, you know how I feel about this s–t. Why would you invite this guy?” Curtis demanded. “F–k this guy! He’s innocent the same way Bill Cosby’s innocent!”
The comparison to the disgraced comedian underscored the depth of Curtis’s disdain. The 38-year-old fighter, an outspoken supporter of the Harris administration, was seen gesturing wildly while Rittenhouse stood just feet away.
“Why the f–k would you do this? This is my f–kin’ home, bro,” Curtis continued. “Sean, you’re one of my best friends. Can we get him the f–k out, please? I would never disrespect you like this.”
Strickland’s Response and the “Liberal” Label
Strickland, who has a well-documented history of controversial statements—including a self-admitted “Neo-Nazi phase” during his youth—attempted to downplay the situation with laughter. In the video, he can be heard apologizing to Kyle and Bella Rittenhouse, referring to Curtis as “our local liberal” and suggesting that his friend had been “radicalized by the internet.”
Following the publication of the video, Strickland took to X (formerly Twitter) to offer a more nuanced, albeit still pointed, explanation for his actions.
“Curt is a good man,” Strickland wrote on Thursday. “I didn’t think Curt would care but that being said I truly can’t fault him for his reaction when I think about it. For the last 12 years we’ve been hearing Trump is a Nazi and his supporters are Nazis… it’s all a byproduct of the media’s efforts to radicalize people.”
He concluded his post with a plea for followers to “live life and don’t let politics consume you,” calling the modern political landscape “one giant manipulation from the right and left.”
A Complex Political Evolution
The fallout is particularly intriguing given Strickland’s own shifting political allegiances. While he was a vocal Trump supporter in 2024, Strickland has recently “soured” on the GOP establishment. In July 2025, he criticized the party’s ties to foreign interests, stating he would rather vote for a Democrat than an “AIPAC Republican.”
More recently, in August 2025, he sparked controversy by vowing to skip a White House-hosted UFC event for Donald Trump’s 80th birthday, infamously stating he didn’t want to “hang with the f–king Epstein list.”
Despite these critiques of the right, Strickland remains a fierce defender of the Second Amendment, which seemingly provided the common ground for his invitation to Rittenhouse.
What’s Next for Xtreme Couture?
For Chris Curtis, the issue isn’t about policy; it’s about the sanctity of the training environment. Xtreme Couture has long been a sanctuary for fighters of all backgrounds, but this incident raises questions about how the gym will handle its increasingly divided roster.
As of Friday morning, Rittenhouse has not publicly commented on the confrontation, though his wife Bella posted a cryptic message on Instagram regarding “standing strong in the face of culture.”
One thing is certain: the “Paddy Pimblett” style brawls are no longer reserved for the Octagon. In 2026, the heaviest blows in the UFC are being traded over ideology, and the friendship between Strickland and Curtis may be the latest casualty.
