Sean Strickland Backed in UFC Pay Dispute by Former Rival

UFC middleweight champion Sean Strickland was backed in his pay dispute with the organization by a former rival inside the Octagon.

Strickland’s pay dispute with the UFC has become public, with the middleweight champ taking to social media to express his displeasure with the contract the UFC currently has him locked into.

Perhaps surprisingly, Strickland was backed in his pay dispute with the UFC by a former rival, Brendan Allen, who defeated Christian Leroy Duncan at UFC Vegas 122.

Brendan Allen Backs Sean Strickland in UFC Pay Dispute

Speaking to reporters after his big win at UFC Vegas 122, Allen backed Strickland in his pay dispute with the company.

“You’ll never hear me (expletive) about my pay, but I’d love to have more money. The guys that don’t need to fight, that can speak up, and make those stances for money, God bless you. I wish I could do that. I’m just a dumb redneck from Louisiana. I’m happy with what I get paid. I’m doing (expletive) people wish they could. There’s many people where I’m from that wish they could make what I make, that can do what I do,” Allen said (via Bloody Elbow).

“So I’m very thankful. I don’t want to feel like I’m greedy or something like that, but hats off to Sean for speaking up, for trying to get more money, because if you look at the scope of things based on the statistics that are out there, we are underpaid. But (expletive) that, I ain’t trying to get canceled, at least from the bosses. I like my paycheck, (expletive). They know I like my paycheck. I need that s—. My car collection is still growing. My house is still going. I didn’t mean nothing by it, Hunter (Campbell). I apologize.”

Will the UFC Give Sean Strickland a Pay Bump?

Strickland is essentially holding out right now, because as long as the UFC offers him fights, his contract tolls.

The hope is that the UFC and Strickland can agree to a new deal that’s fair to both sides, but at this point, it’s hard to say what will happen between the company and the fighter.

The UFC is under no obligation to give Strickland a pay raise, since he is already under contract and, reportedly, agreed to a new deal with the promotion this year ahead of his UFC 328 title fight-winning performance against Khamzat Chimaev.

Since he reportedly signed the contract so recently, the UFC can easily argue that they are under no obligation to give him more money when they don’t have to.

That being said, Strickland is one of the best UFC fighters in the organization right now, so it would be beneficial for everyone involved to give him the pay bump that he wants so he can get back into the Octagon and fight again.

But we’ll have to wait and see what happens. Either way, it’s nice to see that Allen — who lost to Strickland by knockout several years ago — is backing him.

This article was originally published on HEAVY

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