The two-time middleweight champion says he is willing to surrender his belt, move to 205 pounds and burn through the remaining fights on his UFC contract before pursuing Jake Paul, an extraordinary possibility emerging as negotiations for a Nassourdine Imavov rematch remain stalled and the chaos around Strickland continues to grow.
Sean Strickland fought his way back to the UFC middleweight championship only five months ago. Now, he is openly contemplating giving it away.
In the latest and most significant escalation of a growing dispute with the UFC over compensation, Strickland says he is considering vacating the 185-pound championship, moving to light heavyweight and fighting through the remainder of his contract as quickly as possible before pursuing opportunities outside the promotion. For a fighter who reclaimed the title from Khamzat Chimaev at UFC 328 in May, the possibility represents an extraordinary reversal. Strickland spent years fighting his way back toward the belt, finally regained it, and is now publicly questioning whether keeping it is worth the financial restrictions that accompany remaining champion.
Andrew Carswell is a combat sports columnist and college writing professor, based in Las Vegas, NV, whose work examines the intersection of fighting, media, business, and culture. His commentary and analysis have been featured in various magazines, newspapers, and media outlets, including Yahoo! News, and USA TODAY. Blending journalistic insight and experience with a fan’s perspective, Carswell writes about the fight game as both a cultural phenomenon and a global business.
