Sean Strickland Says His Heart Is No Longer in MMA

UFC middleweight champion Sean Strickland has questioned his future in the sport. In a series of social media posts, Strickland wrote that his heart is no longer in mixed martial arts.

He wrote that he believes much of his frustration comes from his body, as he put it, crashing because of training. Strickland listed a groin tear and an AC joint separation among his recent problems and described MMA training as brutal. "My heart just isn't in MMA anymore," he wrote, adding that boxing offers more money and is significantly easier.

Frustration with pay

The posts came a day after Strickland posted about compensation. He said that unless things change with the UFC he is kind of over it, contrasting the money he believes Conor McGregor earns with what the promotion is willing to pay other fighters. He also said he was contemplating moving up to 205 pounds to finish out his contract and then taking a fight with Jake Paul, an idea he described as fun.

The posts followed reports that Strickland had turned down a headlining spot at UFC 335 against Nassourdine Imavov, reportedly because of the purse. The promotion later named Charles Oliveira against Diego Lopes for the BMF title as the main event of the December card.

A champion without a next fight

Strickland is a two-time middleweight champion who regained the 185-pound belt with a split-decision win over Khamzat Chimaev in May. Chimaev had considered a move to light heavyweight before turning his attention to a rematch, but neither that bout nor a meeting with top contender Imavov has come together. Before the Chimaev fight, Strickland had scored a TKO win over Anthony Hernandez in Houston in February 2026.