Two-time UFC middleweight champion Sean Strickland says he is fed up with his compensation unless things change, pointing to Conor McGregor's reported $30 million payday and Conor Benn's reported $15 million Zuffa Boxing deal. Strickland said he is contemplating moving to 205 pounds, knocking out his contract and fighting Jake Paul. He won his second title in May at UFC 328, beating Khamzat Chimaev by split decision, and has yet to book a title defense, with injuries and pay issues cited in his absence. It is not known how many bouts remain on his contract.
Sean Strickland says he is considering walking away from the UFC unless his pay improves, and he is pointing to the payouts of two other fighters as evidence of the gap.
The two-time middleweight champion said he is fed up with his compensation. He cited Conor McGregor's reported $30 million payday and Conor Benn's reported $15 million Zuffa Boxing deal as the benchmark. Strickland said he is contemplating a move up to 205 pounds, knocking out his contract and then fighting Jake Paul. It is not known how many bouts remain on his current deal.
The comments land at an awkward time for the division. Strickland won his second title in May at UFC 328, beating Khamzat Chimaev by split decision. He has yet to book a title defense, with injuries and pay issues cited as reasons for his absence.
The fighters involved
Strickland, 35, is 31-7-0 and holds the middleweight belt. The American trains out of Xtreme Couture and fights orthodox. He stands six-foot-one with a 76-inch reach, and his career numbers show a volume striker: 6.04 significant strikes landed per minute at 42 percent accuracy, with 0.71 takedowns per 15 minutes.
Chimaev, 32, is 15-1-0 and sits at number one in the middleweight rankings and number 10 in the pound-for-pound list. He fights out of Allstars Training Center for the United Arab Emirates. His wrestling is the standout part of his résumé, with 5.29 takedowns and 1.8 submission attempts per 15 minutes.
McGregor, 38, is 22-7-0 and fights southpaw out of SBG Ireland. He lands 5.27 significant strikes per minute at 49 percent accuracy.
Why it matters
- The reigning middleweight champion has yet to book a first defense since taking the belt in May, leaving the division in a holding pattern.
- Chimaev, the top-ranked contender and the man Strickland beat, is waiting on a division whose champion is publicly questioning his future.
- Strickland's stated interest in a move to 205 pounds and a fight with Jake Paul adds uncertainty about where, and under what contract, he fights next.
- The remaining length of his UFC contract is unknown, which clouds how serious the threat is.
