Sean Strickland criticises UFC pay and seeks permission to box

Sean Strickland has criticised UFC fighter pay and said he wants to pursue boxing, arguing that champions are being forced to keep competing because they cannot afford to retire on their own terms. BBC Sport reported the middleweight title-holder's comments on Friday, following an Instagram post in which he questioned the financial rewards available to fighters.

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The 35-year-old American said former champions can damage their reputations by continuing after their best years because they still need the income. He described a pattern in which fighters lose a title and then suffer further defeats, presenting money and declining motivation as reasons for those returns. Those claims were Strickland's assessment of the system, rather than an announcement that he was retiring.

Earlier in the week, Strickland had said injuries to his groin and shoulder had diminished his enthusiasm for mixed martial arts. He expressed a preference for boxing, which he described as easier and more financially rewarding, and called for a contest with Jake Paul. In his subsequent comments, he said he wanted to win a boxing title and was trying to arrange a move into the sport.

His UFC contract remains an obstacle. According to BBC Sport, fighters under contract cannot compete for other major promotions. Strickland criticised that restriction and said that, if the organisation required him to keep fighting in MMA, he would concentrate on moving around the cage and collecting his pay, even if spectators objected.

The dispute comes amid wider scrutiny of fighter compensation following Conor Benn's reported £11m agreement for one fight with Zuffa Boxing. BBC Sport reported that Zuffa Boxing is owned by UFC president Dana White, prompting questions about the difference between that deal and the amounts available to MMA athletes. The broadcaster put the UFC's fighter-pay share at about 20% of revenue, compared with around 60% for boxers at their events.

White previously responded to criticism surrounding Benn's deal by welcoming higher earnings and saying UFC fighter pay had risen continuously since 2001. He also cited the promotion's £5.7bn Paramount broadcast agreement and expressed confidence about compensation over the next seven years. Strickland regained the middleweight championship by defeating Khamzat Chimaev in May, becoming a two-time holder of the title.