Sean Strickland: ‘My heart isn’t in MMA anymore’

UFC middleweight champion Sean Strickland says he's over mixed martial arts.

By Jeff Cain · Yahoo

Published: Friday, 9 October 2026 at 10:07 AM

Key Things to Know

Sean Strickland declared his heart is no longer in MMA during an ongoing pay dispute with the UFC.
Strickland has threatened to vacate his middleweight title and potentially move into boxing against Jake Paul.
A contract standoff led to Strickland missing out on headlining UFC 335 in Las Vegas.

The Story in 60 Seconds

UFC middleweight champion Sean Strickland has publicly expressed deep frustration with the promotion, stating his heart is no longer in mixed martial arts. The champion entered a public contract dispute over fighter pay after negotiations stalled, leading to him being left off the UFC 335 card scheduled for December 12 in Las Vegas.

Amid the dispute, Strickland suggested he is willing to vacate his 185-pound championship belt and burn through his contract to pursue a boxing match against Jake Paul. He had previously captured the title in an upset against Khamzat Chimaev at UFC 328 in May.

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Sean Strickland: ‘My heart isn’t in MMA anymore’

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