Strickland Says His Heart Isn't in MMA, Rips UFC Over Pay

Sean Strickland says he's done chasing a sport that's taken a toll on his body for little reward. Speaking to Yahoo Sports MMA, the UFC middleweight champion admitted, "I crashed out a little. Let me explain my frustration." He followed that up with a blunter admission: 'I think I'm just over MMA. My body is wrecked from 21 years of training... Boxing is just easier and way more fun.'

Strickland didn't stop there. On Twitter, he went after the UFC directly, arguing the promotion doesn't pay fighters enough to retire on their own schedule, which forces guys to keep fighting well past their prime just to stay afloat financially. According to MMA Fighting, he also pointed to Conor McGregor as an example of the pay gap, criticizing the UFC for showering money on a star who last fought on July eleventh, two thousand twenty-six.

The timing is notable given where Strickland sits in the division. He's the reigning middleweight champion. Our Elo model has him rated at 1545 across nine tracked bouts, numbers that reflect a fighter very much at the top of his weight class, even as he publicly questions whether he wants to stay in the sport.

Fans are still paying attention to Strickland regardless of his mood. A thread on r/MMA is circulating footage of him offering corner advice, proof that even while venting about walking away, he hasn't exactly left the spotlight.