Sean Strickland Threatens to Leave UFC Over Fighter Pay

Sean Strickland has once again voiced his frustration with fighter pay in the UFC, warning that he could leave the promotion unless financial conditions improve.

The American middleweight champion pointed to Conor McGregor’s reported $30 million payday for a brief fight as an example of the significant pay gap between the sport’s biggest stars and other fighters. Strickland believes athletes deserve a fairer share of the money generated by the sport.

Strickland is considering vacating his middleweight title, moving up to light heavyweight and completing the remaining fights on his UFC contract before pursuing a potentially lucrative boxing match against Jake Paul. Paul has already expressed interest in working with the American once he becomes a free agent.

The champion has also indicated that injuries and the physical demands of MMA have affected his motivation. A potential title defence against Nassourdine Imavov has been discussed, but financial disagreements remain an obstacle to finalising the fight.