Sean Strickland denied throwing an illegal punch during a sparring session with Preacher Lawson.
The exchange followed a viral stand-up routine in which Lawson joked about being hit in the back of the head.
Strickland is known for hard sparring with visiting celebrities in Las Vegas.
He previously bloodied streamer Sneako and dominated Nick Nayersina in similar sessions.
Lawson’s comedy clip gained more than 1.4 million views.
He told the audience that a punch sent him flying across the cage.
He suggested the blow landed illegally.
Strickland rejected that version online.
He said Lawson kept lowering his head and left only a legal target behind the ear.
He insisted the shot was clean.
Lawson then shared footage from the session.
The video appeared to show the punch that knocked him backward.
The impact looked close to the back of the head.
In a follow-up video, Lawson responded with heavy sarcasm.
He joked that he invented the illegal-shot claim for laughs.
He said the strike only looked illegal on camera.
He also mocked his own fear of the former champion.
Strickland treated the exchange as a joke and apologised briefly in the comments.
Lawson’s original routine described the moment he thought he matched the fighter.
He said the confidence vanished when the punch sent him across the cage.
He also joked about Strickland teasing his vegan T-shirt during the session.
