Sean Strickland wants out of the UFC and into Boxing

mmaweekly |  

As a two-time UFC middleweight champion, Sean Strickland has achieved more than 99% of fighters in his sport, putting him in elite company.

His unique approach and relentless pace have laid the groundwork for his Philly Shell style to thrive in the cage. Elite durability, unwavering cardio, and volume punching make him one of the most difficult puzzles to solve once the octagon door closes, but his time in the sport is wearing thin. Becoming the first to ever beat Khamzat Chimaev already puts him in a class of his own, and if he can once again outwork Nassourdine Imavov to a decisive victory, there’s not much left for him to prove. At 35, retirement is likely not too far away, but before that day comes, he wants to get paid.

The purses mixed martial artists at the top of their game get are vastly inferior in comparison to boxers. For example, Conor Benn, whose 3 million Instagram followers and lack of global fame make him comparable to many UFC fighters, is rumored to be earning $15 million per fight.

Wanting his own slice of the pie, Sean Strickland has turned his attention to boxing.

“I love MMA but I want to box,” Strickland revealed in a post on social media.

Sean Strickland has been omnipresent in the UFC for over a decade. It took years for his true personality to surface, but once it did, he became a star. Fans admire him for being his unapologetic self, using his platform to openly speak about sensitive subjects and his political beliefs.

With the birth of Zuffa Boxing, UFC fighters believe crossover bouts are more attainable than they were before. But for Sean Strickland, while Zuffa would be his preference, he wouldn’t hesitate to accept an offer from elsewhere.

“[I] prefer Zuffa but if they can’t make that happen…”