Dana White isn’t concerned about Sean Strickland’s latest outburst.
Last week, Strickland came out with a list of grievances against the UFC, primarily regarding his pay. The UFC middleweight champion was frustrated about negotiations for his proposed title defense against Nassourdine Imavov, saying he wouldn’t defend his title until things were settled, and even threatening to vacate the belt and fight out his contract so he could be a free agent.
Since his initial complaint, Strickland has continued to take shots at the UFC over fighter pay and its negotiation tactics, but Dana White isn’t paying him any mind.
“I haven’t personally; I’ve just heard through social media and stuff,” White told reporters after the final episode of Contender Series when asked about talking to Strickland. “But when isn’t Sean Strickland upset about something or doesn’t have something to say?
“Sean Strickland just signed a new contract in May. He just signed a new contract in May. He signed a new deal. Was that like, four months ago? Five months ago? He signed a new deal. And from what I hear, the number he’s putting out there, it’s not true. The number that he claimed he made is not true.”
While Strickland never gave an exact amount for what he’s been paid, he claimed that he earned “a fraction” of what Conor McGregor made at UFC 329, reportedly $30 million. Strickland also said he wants to try his hand at boxing, even offering to compete in Zuffa Boxing, which White has no interest in. For White, this whole thing is Strickland lashing out for no good reason.
“It is what it is,” White said. “If we were in a situation where he’d been under the same contract for a year, two years — he just signed a contract in May. He got a whole new deal in May. So it is what it is.”
Strickland last competed at UFC 328 in May, winning a split decision over Khamzat Chimaev to reclaim the UFC middleweight title.