Sean Strickland threatens UFC exit over ‘poor pay’, says McGregor earned $30 million for 30 seconds: What is the American fighter’s net worth and salary?

American middleweight champion Sean Strickland had once again publicly expressed dissatisfaction with the salary of fighters in the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC). Strickland on Wednesday threatened to leave the UFC, unless things change.

In a social media post, Strickland pointed towards Irish MMA artist and former UFC Lightweight Champion Conor McGregor’s earnings. He claimed that McGregor “makes $30 million to fight for 30 seconds”. Expressing his unhappiness, he added, “They don’t pay us a fraction of it”.

Strickland further said he was contemplating vacating his 185-pound title. He added that he is considering moving to light heavyweight to fulfill his UFC contract.


Replying to a fan saying he should do it as he beat Israel Adesanya and Khamzat Chimaev, Strickland said, “Yep and they both make more than me”.

Strickland floats fight against Jake Paul

In the post, Strickland also floated a potential fight against Jake Paul. The potential fight would be a financial incentive to leave his promotion up to light heavyweight, he said.

He added that he was considering speed-running his contract, with the end goal of fighting Paul for a large sun.

Jake Paul even responded to Strickland’s potential plan. He invited Strickland to call Most Valuable Promotions if he wanted his “fair share”.

Strickland however did not reveal the number of fights left on his deal with UFC.

Also read: John Cena says he misses WWE every day after retiring, but rules out performing again

How much is Sean Strickland net worth and salary?

Strickland in 2025, claimed his net worth to be around $5 million. He earns through multiple sources like endorsements, sponsorships apart from his salary. He has been a professional fighter since 2008, and his UFC journey began in 2014.

Strickland earned his biggest paycheck for his fight against Israel Adesanya at UFC 293. He reportedly earns a base salary of $850,000. His total earnings reach about $1.53 million, including bonuses.

However, his base salary shifted following his title loss to Dricus du Plessis at UFC 297. For the match his base salary was $500,000. While his potential earnings were approximately $1 million.

In subsequent matches, including his fight against Paulo Costa at UFC 302, his earnings remained significant. He reportedly made a total of $1.22 million in these fights.

Strickland has in the past secured endorsements from several brands. These include Monster Energy, Full Violence, XILE and Nitrocross, boosting his income.

In early 2023, Strickland shared a house tour of his modest apartment on social media.

Strickland also has a grounded approach to material possessions. After his defeat against Alex Pereira, he joked about plans to purchase a Dodge Hellcat muscle car. He later opted for an economical Hyundai Accent.