Sean Strickland is UFC middleweight champion again, but his latest comments have raised a much bigger question than who he fights next. With the division still moving and plenty of attention on the latest UFC odds, Strickland’s future has suddenly become one of the biggest talking points at 185lb.
Five months after beating Khamzat Chimaev to reclaim the title, Strickland has become increasingly outspoken about his UFC pay. He has discussed vacating the belt, finishing his contract at light heavyweight and eventually leaving the promotion altogether.
Dana White has now responded, while Nassourdine Imavov remains the most likely opponent for Strickland’s next title defence.
Why Is Sean Strickland Unhappy With the UFC?
Strickland’s main issue is money.
He has argued publicly that UFC fighters should earn more during their careers and has compared the money available in MMA with the huge purses seen elsewhere in combat sports.
The dispute appears to have become more serious during talks over his next middleweight title defence. Nassourdine Imavov has been strongly linked with the fight, but Strickland has suggested the two sides have still not agreed on his purse.
That is what has turned a fairly normal negotiation into something much bigger.
Rather than simply saying he wants more money for one fight, Strickland has openly discussed what he could do if he cannot reach an agreement with the UFC.
Is Sean Strickland Leaving the UFC?
Not at the moment. Strickland remains under UFC contract and is still officially recognised as middleweight champion. There has been no announcement that he has left the promotion or vacated his title.
However, he has spoken about giving up the belt, moving to light heavyweight and completing the fights left on his contract before becoming a free agent.
He has also mentioned boxing once he is free to explore other options.
That does not mean an exit is guaranteed. Contract disputes in the UFC can become very public before eventually being resolved, particularly when both sides still have something valuable to gain from making the fight.
For now, leaving the UFC looks like a possibility rather than something that is about to happen.
What Has Dana White Said About Sean Strickland?
Dana White has played down Strickland’s complaints.
When asked about the situation, White questioned when Strickland is not unhappy about something and pointed out that the champion recently signed a new UFC contract.
White also disputed some of the figures Strickland has discussed publicly, making it clear that the promotion does not see the situation in the same way as its champion.
That leaves both sides in a fairly familiar position.
Strickland believes he should earn more for his next defence, while the UFC believes he agreed to the contract currently being used in those negotiations.
There is still plenty of room for a deal, but neither side appears interested in backing down publicly.
Is Sean Strickland Fighting Nassourdine Imavov Next?
Imavov remains the most likely opponent, although the fight has not been officially announced.
Strickland has said negotiations are close, with his pay apparently the main issue still preventing an agreement.
From a sporting point of view, the matchup makes sense.
Imavov has climbed to third in the middleweight rankings after an excellent run of results, beating Israel Adesanya, Caio Borralho, Roman Dolidze and Jared Cannonier.
You can follow the wider divisional picture in our latest UFC rankings.
There is some history between the pair as well.
Strickland beat Imavov by unanimous decision in January 2023 after stepping in on short notice. That bout took place at light heavyweight, though, whereas a rematch would have Strickland’s middleweight title on the line.
What About Khamzat Chimaev?
Khamzat Chimaev is still pushing for another fight with Strickland after losing the title to him at UFC 328.
Strickland handed Chimaev the first defeat of his professional MMA career with a split-decision victory in May 2026, and the former champion has continued calling for another shot.
We are tracking his situation separately in our guide to Khamzat Chimaev’s next fight.
For now, though, Imavov appears to be ahead of him in the title picture.
Dricus Du Plessis is also still around the top of the division, while Brendan Allen has forced himself further into the conversation after another strong result.
That leaves the UFC with plenty of options if talks with Strickland become more difficult.
Could Sean Strickland Vacate the Middleweight Title?
Yes, although nothing has happened yet. If Strickland refused to defend the belt, he could eventually vacate it or the UFC could strip him of the championship.
That would immediately open the door for fighters such as Imavov, Chimaev and Du Plessis to compete for the vacant title.
The UFC could also introduce an interim championship in some circumstances, although that would make more sense if Strickland were temporarily unavailable rather than actively refusing a fight.
We have explained how that works in our guide to interim UFC champions.
At the time of writing, though, Strickland remains the undisputed middleweight champion.
Could Sean Strickland Move to Light Heavyweight?
Strickland has suggested that he could fight at 205lb while completing the remaining bouts on his UFC deal.
He has competed at that weight before, including his first fight with Imavov, but a permanent move would be very different.
Light heavyweight already has an established title picture, so Strickland would be unlikely to move straight into championship contention.
His comments therefore seem more closely linked to his contract situation than a genuine attempt to chase another UFC belt.
Will Sean Strickland Actually Leave the UFC?
I still think the most likely outcome is that Strickland fights Nassourdine Imavov.
His frustration sounds genuine, and openly discussing the possibility of vacating a UFC title is obviously more serious than the usual complaints fighters make during negotiations.
Even so, there is already a title defence being discussed and both sides have good reason to make it happen.
Strickland would also need to finish his current UFC contract before simply walking away unless another agreement was reached.
That makes a compromise more likely than an immediate split.
If negotiations collapse, though, the middleweight division could get messy very quickly.
A few weeks ago, the biggest question was who Sean Strickland would defend his title against. Now there is at least a genuine possibility that the UFC may have to worry about whether he wants to defend it at all.
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