Current UFC champion goes off on ‘predatory’ UFC fighter pay

While Sean
Strickland isn’t satisfied with
Ultimate Fighting Championship fighter pay, he doesn’t think it
will change anytime soon.

Strickland (31-7) recently accused the UFC of being predatory in
terms of fighter pay. While Dana White claims UFC fighters are
making more after the new Paramount+ deal, Strickland disagrees.
Strickland recently reiterated the fact that the UFC isn’t close to
any major sporting league in terms of the revenue share paid to
athletic talent. However, Strickland doesn’t think that it will
change for the better any time soon. Strickland notes that there
will be always be struggling fighters who will be willing to
compete for a lesser amount. According to Strickland, fighter pay
is the reason behind the decline in the number of American fighters
on the UFC roster.

“No one is getting paid more… As far as the payscale, you compare
it to any other sporting event, the UFC is the most fked up,”
Strickland told Complex. “If
you compare it to athlete pay vs. what they’re making, there’s no
argument there. It’s not fair, it’s predatory… I would just like it
to match other sporting events… Does it change? No it doesn’t
fking change. You say no to a fight, they will find some fking
guy in some sandpit that will do it for 5k and 5k. This is why
you’re slowly gonna see the American roster die… You make more
money at fking Walmart.”

Most major sporting leagues like the NFL, NBA, MLB and NHL pay
close to 50% of their revenue shares to athletes. However,
according to a 2012 study, the UFC only paid 18.6% of its revenue
to fighters.

Sean
Strickland talks UFC pay and bonuses #MMA

“No one’s getting paid more. What’s the new bonus? $50k?
$100k?”

“You say no to a fight? They’ll find some guy in some fcking
sandpit who’ll do it for fcking 5k and 5k. That’s how it works”

“You’ll make more money at f*cking… pic.twitter.com/iG8RCoxdec— The
Combat Sport Poll Guy (@PollGuyUFC)
June 5, 2026