It seems the rumors were true. For weeks, Sean Strickland was expected to defend his middleweight title against Nassourdine Imavov at UFC 335. However, the fight never came together. In the immediate aftermath, it was believed that money was the reason the matchup had not been booked.
A fan on Instagram recently asked Strickland about speculation that he had asked the UFC for more money. The middleweight champion had a simple response: “bingo lol.” While Strickland did not elaborate at the time, he had already confirmed that he was negotiating with the UFC regarding a potential title defense against Imavov.
The situation became even more interesting when Imavov publicly offered to pay Strickland $500,000 out of his own pocket to meet his alleged $1 million asking price. That came amid reports that the UFC was offering Strickland $400,000 to show and another $400,000 to win. Now, Strickland has addressed his frustrations directly on social media.
Sean Strickland Criticizes UFC and Zuffa Boxing Over Reported Paydays for Conor McGregor and Conor Benn
Strickland recently took to X to express his unhappiness with his current UFC payday and contract. The reigning middleweight champion wrote, “I gotta be honest, unless things change with the UFC Im kinda over it.”
He pointed to Conor McGregor allegedly being paid $30 million for his disastrous return at UFC 329, which lasted just over a minute. Strickland added, “McGregor makes 30 million to fight for 30 seconds, and they dont want to pay us a fraction of it. Contemplating just going to 205, knocking out my contract and scrapping with @jakepaul. That sounds fun.”
I gotta be honest unless things change with the UFC Im kinda over it.
McGregor makes 30 million to fight for 30 second and they dont want to pay us a fraction of it.
Contemplating just going to 205 knocking out my contract and scrapping with @jakepaul
That sounds fun.
— Sean Strickland (@SStricklandMMA) October 7, 2026
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Strickland has now openly suggested that he could give up his 185-pound title, move up to light heavyweight, and finish out his UFC contract if his pay situation does not change.
In another tweet, Strickland once again criticized McGregor while also bringing up Conor Benn’s reported $15 million payday after leaving Eddie Hearn to sign with Zuffa Boxing. He wrote, “It’s just hard McGregor 30 million, some lame boxer 15 million. The thought of just giving up my belt going to 205, and speed-running my contract to fight Jake and make what these guys are making sounds pretty damn appealing.”
Strickland also explained that making the middleweight limit takes a serious toll on him. He said he works extremely hard to get down to 185 pounds and feels the financial reward does not match the effort, especially when boxers like Benn are reportedly earning significantly more for a single fight.
Its just hard McGregor 30 million
Some lame boxer 15 millionThe thought of just giving up my belt going to 205 and speed running my contract to fight Jake and make what these guys are making sounds pretty damn appealing
— Sean Strickland (@SStricklandMMA) October 7, 2026
The middleweight champion once again floated the idea of moving up to 205 pounds, finishing his UFC contract there, and then transitioning to boxing for a potential fight against Jake Paul. Later, Strickland had even more to say and warned that his rant could turn into a once-in-a-lifetime “crashout.”
He also tagged Paramount+ while asking for a pay bump and once again criticized the reported amount the company paid McGregor for his 69-second UFC 329 appearance.
Strickland wrote in another tweet, “It’s funny when they say, but your contract says…I think being the new unfiltered face of Paramount sounds kinda entertaining. I guess that could be my consolation prize? Any request?”
Sean Strickland threatens a “once in a lifetime crashout” over his UFC pay dispute 😳
“I’m having a slight crash out over what you paid McGregor. There’s a slight chance #IGBBMN” https://t.co/iuqeXlfCPr
— Championship Rounds (@ChampRDS) October 8, 2026
Strickland most recently competed at UFC 328 in May, where he defeated Khamzat Chimaev by split decision. The win marked the beginning of his second reign as UFC middleweight champion. He was expected to face Imavov next, but remained on the sidelines while recovering from a lingering shoulder issue.
Now, with Strickland openly unhappy with his UFC pay, his next move remains unclear. The champion could still defend his title at a later date, but his latest comments suggest he is seriously considering a very different path.
Kshitiz Kumar Singh is a UFC Writer at NY Fights with over three years of experience in sports journalism and content creation. Known for his sharp storytelling and passion for combat sports, he has written in-depth features on stars like Brock Lesnar, Randy Couture, and Ilia Topuria. Before joining NY Fights, Kshitiz worked as a UFC Editor at EssentiallySports while currently serving as a WWE Editor at FirstSportz. His admiration for legends like Georges St-Pierre continues to inspire his detailed and engaging MMA coverage. Whether he’s covering the Octagon or the squared circle, Kshitiz is committed to delivering accurate, high-quality content. Outside the world of sports, he’s a dedicated cinephile, often found practicing monologues from his favorite Al Pacino films, combining his love for cinema with storytelling.
