Sean Strickland has threatened to walk away from his UFC middleweight title and pursue a boxing match with Jake Paul as his frustration over fighter pay continues to boil over. The UFC champion said on X that he is considering moving up to light heavyweight, fighting out the remainder of his contract and then chasing a much bigger payday outside the promotion.
"I gotta be honest, unless things change with the UFC I'm kinda over it," Strickland wrote. He pointed to the money earned by Conor McGregor and boxer Conor Benn as examples of why he has become increasingly frustrated with his own situation.
Strickland claimed McGregor earned around $30 million for his recent UFC return, while Benn reportedly landed a deal worth about $15 million with Zuffa Boxing. Strickland said the idea of giving up his belt, moving to 205 pounds and getting through his UFC contract as quickly as possible before fighting Jake Paul now sounds increasingly attractive.
And Paul did not ignore the invitation. "If you want your fair share, call MVP when you are free," Paul wrote, referring to his Most Valuable Promotions (MVP) company.
He later added that Strickland should have his promoter contact MVP once he is out of contract. Strickland remains under contract with the UFC, meaning he cannot simply walk away and arrange a boxing match elsewhere.
He is also still the reigning middleweight champion after reclaiming the belt from Khamzat Chimaev at UFC 328 in May. A title defence against Nassourdine Imavov had been discussed for UFC 335 in December, but negotiations failed to produce an agreement.
The UFC instead booked Charles Oliveira against Diego Lopes for the BMF title in the main event. Reports have linked the collapse of the Strickland-Imavov talks to disagreement on the champion's pay.
Strickland has since suggested that money is only part of the problem. In another series of posts, the 35-year-old said years of MMA training have taken a heavy toll on his body.
"My body is crashing because MMA training is brutal," he wrote, mentioning a groin tear and an AC joint separation. He went even further, saying his "heart just isn't in MMA anymore" and arguing that boxing offers more money with less physical strain from wrestling and grappling.
As the situation develops, fans and analysts are closely watching to see if the UFC will address these grievances or if one of their top stars will indeed depart the organization for the lucrative world of crossover boxing.