UFC Chief Executive Officer Dana White dismissed public complaints from middleweight champion Sean Strickland regarding fighter compensation, telling reporters Tuesday that the reigning titleholder agreed to a fresh contract only months ago.
Speaking at a post-fight press conference in Las Vegas following the conclusion of the tenth season of Dana White’s Contender Series, White said he had not spoken directly with Strickland about the champion’s recent social media posts. The UFC executive voiced little sympathy for the fighter’s financial grievances, maintaining that the organization had already updated his terms earlier this year.
“Sean Strickland just signed a new contract in May,” White said, as reported by MMA Junkie and SB Nation. “He just signed a new deal. Four months ago, five months ago, he just signed a new deal.”
White also challenged claims made about Strickland’s compensation, telling reporters that “the number that he claimed is not true.” Strickland has not publicly stated an exact pay figure, though he claimed he receives only a fraction of what top stars earn, pointing to Conor McGregor’s reported $30 million payout at UFC 329, according to SB Nation.
Threats to vacate the middleweight title
Strickland, who reclaimed the middleweight championship at UFC 328 in May with a split decision win over Khamzat Chimaev, has not entered the Octagon since that bout. In recent online statements, the 35-year-old fighter criticized UFC compensation structures and suggested he might vacate his belt, move up to light heavyweight to finish his contractual bouts, or pivot to boxing matches.
Negotiations for a targeted title defense against top contender Nassourdine Imavov, which had been eyed for UFC 335, recently stalled over money. Strickland publicly stated he would decline to sign for the bout until his financial expectations were addressed, warning that athletes are often forced to fight past their prime because the promotion does not pay enough for a secure retirement, according to reports from MMA Junkie and NY Fights.
White maintains firm stance on terms
Despite the champion’s ultimatum, White showed no willingness to reopen contractual talks so soon after the May agreement.
“It is what it is,” White told reporters. “If we were in a situation where he’d been under the same contract for a year, two years… He just signed a contract in May. He got a whole new deal in May. It is what it is.”
According to figures reported by MMA Junkie reporter Mike Bohn and cited by NY Fights, Strickland earned over $1 million for his May victory against Chimaev on a six-fight agreement that still has five bouts remaining.
With Strickland refusing to compete at his current contracted rate and UFC leadership declining to offer an immediate raise, the scheduling of the next middleweight championship bout remains unresolved.
