Sean Strickland willing to trade for UFC gold Jake Paul money.
The reigning Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) middleweight champion has threatened to relinquish his 185lb title, move up to light heavyweight and burn through the remaining fights on his contract after becoming increasingly frustrated with his salary.
“I have to be honest: If things don’t change with the UFC, I’m kind of over it,” Strickland wrote on Twitter. “McGregor makes $30 million to fight for 30 seconds and they don’t want to pay us a fraction of that. Just think about going to 205, ending my contract and demolishing Jake Paul. That sounds like fun.”
Strickland’s frustration comes just days after the UFC went in a different direction for its year-end numbered event.
Foul-mouthed master was facing a UFC 335 headliner against a top-ranked contenderr Nassourdine Imavov December 12, 2026 at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada. Strickland even revealed that negotiations were “almost over” and his salary was the final hurdle.
“We are currently discussing salary,” Strickland wrote last month. “If that piece is square, it’s locked.”
Apparently, this detail was never square.
UFC booked instead Charles Oliveira vs. Diego Lopes “BMF” for the title in the UFC 335 main eventwhile the former two-division champion Alex Pereira battles Sergei Pavlovich in a five-round heavyweight co-headliner.
Imavov later offered $500,000 of his own money if Strickland beat him and called on the UFC to take down the champion if he continues to hold out.
But Strickland may now be in the running for a promotion.
“It’s just hard,” Strickland wrote. “McGregor: $30 million. Some lousy boxer: $15 million. The idea of just giving up his belt, going to 205 and stepping up his contract to fight Jake and change what these guys are doing sounds pretty damn appealing.”
References to the $30 million figure Conor McGregor’s profitable UFC 329 return Max Hollowaywhich officially lasted 69 seconds before “Notorious” suffered another devastating knee injury. McGregor was reportedly guaranteed at least $15 million, and his payday could reach more than $30 million.
Meanwhile, there appears to be a “lame boxer.” Conor Bennwho reportedly received a $15 million deal to join Zuffa Boxing before being scrapped Ryan Garcia in September 2026 (watch the highlights).
Strickland clarified the second post, which was quickly deleted.
“It’s also just insulting how much McGregor and some lousy boxer made,” Strickland wrote. “I can sit here and grind at middleweight and kill myself to get to 185, or I can just move up, enjoy it, cancel my contract and get the bag to fight Paul…sorry, I’ll hit the brakes on Paul.”
It’s not the first time Strickland has flirted with leaving the UFC to enter the “Problem Child” box. Earlier this year, he publicly asked for his release after learning that Paul was making around $70 million in 2025.
Strickland regained the middleweight championship in the upset Khamzat Chimaev at UFC 328 in May. Still, defending that title probably sounds a lot less appealing than collecting a huge boxing payday against Paul.
For now, Strickland remains the UFC champion.
But apparently the belt is negotiable.
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