Sean Strickland reportedly signed a new six-fight UFC contract before he beat Khamzat Chimaev for the middleweight title, according to MMA Junkie’s Mike Bohn. Bohn’s sources say the champion makes more than $1 million per fight and earned that much for the Chimaev bout at UFC 328 in May.
The report lands two days after Strickland told fans on X he is “kinda over it” unless things change with the UFC. He floated giving up the belt, moving to 205 pounds and “speed running” his contract to fight Jake Paul, and pointed to Conor McGregor’s reported $30 million payday and Conor Benn’s reported $15 million Zuffa Boxing deal as the gap he wants closed. A day later, he said in a video that the UFC doesn’t pay enough to walk away and that he wants to box.
What a six-fight deal does to the exit plan
A six-fight deal changes the math. If the Chimaev fight counted as the first of the six, Strickland would have five left, and working through them at 205 pounds before boxing Paul would be a long road. The UFC has not confirmed the length or terms of the contract, and Bohn’s report is the only source for the figures so far. Bohn also said rumors of a $400,000 show and $400,000 win contract are false.
Paul responded to Strickland’s posts by asking whether he is out of contract. If Bohn is right, he isn’t.
The fight itself is the sticking point. Strickland and the UFC have not agreed terms for a title defense against Nassourdine Imavov, and reports have put Strickland’s ask at a flat $1 million. The promotion moved ahead with Charles Oliveira vs. Diego Lopes as the UFC 335 headliner on Dec. 12.
Imavov has offered $500,000 of his own money to get the fight done, and Chimaev publicly offered to pay Strickland $1 million for a rematch on Oct. 5. No Imavov fight is official, and Strickland remains under UFC contract.
