Strickland says UFC fighters are not paid enough to retire
Sean Strickland said in comments earlier this week and in a follow-up Instagram post on 9 October 2026 that UFC fighters are not paid enough to retire from the sport on their own terms. The 35-year-old middleweight criticised the promotion after injuries to his groin and shoulder.
Strickland said his "heart isn't in MMA anymore" following those injuries. He added he would prefer a move to boxing, calling the sport "significantly easier" with "more money" to be made, and publicly called for a fight with Jake Paul. He followed up his remarks in a post on Instagram.
Strickland warned that fighters damage their legacies by continuing to compete for money rather than leaving at their peak. "I'm going to say the quiet part out loud that nobody says. You watch these champions, they run the division and they take [a loss], and then they come back and they fight three or four times and get flatlined," said Strickland. "You're like, 'dude, what happened to you?' And you realise the UFC happened. They just don't care anymore. "They don't pay you enough money to walk away. The UFC builds a legacy and they don't pay you enough. So you have to come back and ruin your legacy. I don't want to do that."
Fighter pay has been questioned by athletes and the media this year after boxer Conor Benn signed a reported £11m one-fight deal with Zuffa Boxing. Zuffa Boxing is owned by UFC president Dana White, prompting critics to ask why the 57-year-old is not paying similar amounts to his MMA fighters under contract. Those critics raised the point amid wider scrutiny of how money is distributed around fight events.
The UFC gives about 20% of revenue to fighter pay, compared with boxers who get about 60% of revenue from their events. Fighters cannot compete under other major promotions while in contract with the UFC, a clause Strickland has criticised. "I want to box. I want to go win a boxing title. So we're trying to work that out," added Strickland. "But if the UFC says, 'hey, we're not going to do that. We're going to make you fight.' Well, I'm going to stick and move, and you guys will boo and I'll boo while doing it. "Just stick and move, collect my check, and then move on. But I mean, hell, here we are."
Strickland is a polarising figure in MMA and has made homophobic and racist remarks as well as derogatory comments about women. He became a two-time UFC middleweight champion by beating Khamzat Chimaev in May. The article also referenced that "Former UFC security guard Everett wins fighter contract."
When asked about criticisms amid the Benn deal, White said "it's a good thing" when people make more money and pointed to fighter pay continuously rising since 2001. He referenced the UFC's new £5.7bn broadcast deal with Paramount, and added: "I promise you fighter pay is going to be just fine over the next seven years."