UFC fighter Strickland says pay is too low to retire

Summarised from 2 outlets · Updated 9 Oct, 12:37 · Archive

Sean Strickland, UFC middleweight champion, says fighters cannot afford to retire and must continue fighting to earn money.

Sean Strickland, a 35-year-old UFC middleweight champion, says the promotion does not pay fighters enough to retire on their own terms. His body 'wrecked' after 21 years of training and injuries to his groin and shoulder, Strickland has criticised the UFC this week, saying his 'heart isn't in MMA anymore'. He suggests a move to boxing could be on the cards and has called out Jake Paul for a fight.

Strickland's criticism stems from a pay dispute with the UFC. He has lamented that other fighters make far more than UFC competitors, noting that Conor McGregor 'makes 30 million [dollars] to fight for 30 seconds and they don't want to pay us a fraction of it'. The dispute over fighter pay has been questioned by athletes and the media this year after boxer Conor Benn signed a reported £11m one-fight deal with Zuffa Boxing, which is owned by UFC president Dana White.

In a post on Instagram, Strickland argues that top fighters are forced to continue fighting and ruin their legacies rather than being able to walk away. 'You watch these champions, they run the division and they take [a loss], and then they come back and they fight three or four times and get flatlined,' Strickland said. 'They just don't care anymore. They don't pay you enough money to walk away. The UFC builds a legacy and they don't pay you enough. So you have to come back and ruin your legacy.'

How it is being reported

• Sean Strickland suggests he’s ready to leave UFC to fight Jake Paul amid pay disputeUFC middleweight champion Strickland says his ‘heart isn’t in MMA anymore’Independent Sport · 9 Oct, 12:28
• UFC fighters aren't paid enough to retire, says StricklandSean Strickland says UFC fighters are not paid enough money to retire from the sport on their own terms.BBC Sport · 9 Oct, 08:12

In this story: Sean Strickland · UFC · Jake Paul · Conor McGregor · Dana White · Conor Benn · Zuffa Boxing

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