CEO Senator Challenges Teamsters President to MMA Fight

GOP Senator Markwayne Mullin challenged Teamsters president Sean O’Brien to an MMA fight on Monday after O’Brien called him a “greedy CEO” and a “clown & fraud” in a tweet last week. 

“You know where to find me,” O’Brien wrote in his tweet. “Anyplace, Anytime cowboy.” 

Mullin screenshotted this tweet, and responded, “An attention-seeking union Teamster boss is trying to be punchy after our Senate hearing. Okay, I accept your challenge. MMA fight for charity of our [sic] choice.” He offered a time and place of September 30 in Tulsa, Oklahoma, which is Mullin’s hometown, and gave O’Brien three days to accept. 

Mullin’s screenshot cropped out the end of O’Brien’s original tweet, which featured a photo of Mullin in a televised debate against T.W. Shannon last August, when both were candidates in a runoff election to replace then-U.S. Senator Jim Inhofe. The angle of the shot showed Mullin standing on a box behind his podium to make him appear taller. O’Brien circled this box and ended his tweet with “#LittleManSyndrome.” 

This is not the first time the two have clashed, however. At the Senate hearing Mullin referenced, which was held by the Health, Education, Labor and Pensions (HELP) committee, Mullin went after O’Brien in a clip that has since gone viral. 

Mullin told the Senate about how he had started a plumbing company. “Back in 2009, you guys tried to unionize me,” he said. “[Union organizers] would show up at my house. They’d be leaning up against my trucks. I’m not afraid of a physical confrontation. In fact, sometimes I look forward to it…you’re talking about CEOs making all this money, and what do you make, Mr. O’Brien?” Before O’Brien can respond, Mullin continues, “Yeah, I know what you make, because in 2019, your salary was $193,000, and I’m sure you’ve got some pay raises since then? And an average UPS driver, the feeder driver, makes $35,000 a year.”

“That’s inaccurate. State facts,” O’Brien contested. Mullin suggested that since O’Brien disagreed with $35,000, he must not know the facts. “Oh, I know them, because I negotiate the contract,” O’Brien answered. “You’re out of line, man.” 

The two continued to interrupt each other. Mullins pointed at O’Brien and told him, “You need to shut your mouth.” 

O’Brien countered, “Oh, tough guy. You’re going to tell me to shut my mouth? ‘I’m not afraid of physical [confrontation].’” Chairman Bernie Sanders had to interrupt and moderate the rest of Mullin and O’Brien’s six-minute discussion. 

Mullin’s Senate profile states he is a former undefeated MMA fighter with five wins and zero losses, although the Sherdog Fight Finder, the closest thing there is to an authoritative record in the sport, credits him with a 3-0 record run up on lower-level events. He previously challenged a Democratic lawyer to a charity fight in 2018. The fight never occurred. 

Sean O’Brien has projected an aggressive image as the new leadership of the Teamsters, particularly in the union’s ongoing bargaining with UPS. He does not appear to have any professional fighting experience. O’Brien has yet to respond to Mullin’s challenge. 

The challenge also marks the second prospective MMA fight this month, as it comes one week after Elon Musk tweeted that he would be “up for a cage match” against Mark Zuckerberg, who is a white belt in Brazilian jiu-jitsu. Zuckerberg seems to have accepted the challenge.