Former UFC middleweight champion Sean Strickland characterized the company’s pay structure as “predatory” ahead of his main event bout Saturday against Anthony Hernandez at UFC Fight Night in Houston.
In a prefight interview with Complex this week, Strickland, who will make his 24th appearance in the Octagon, downplayed the significance of the UFC’s recent move to increase fight night bonuses to $100,000 — up from $50,000 — before attacking fighter compensation as a whole.
“As far as the pay scale, when you compare it to any other sporting event, the UFC is the most f—ed up,” Strickland told Complex. “Athlete pay versus what [the UFC] is making, there is no argument there. It’s not fair. It’s predatory.”
He continued: “I would just like it to match any other sporting event. Any other sporting event — how much they’re making is what we should get paid. Let’s say the NFL gives 70% of its profits — I’m making this up — to their players. The UFC should do the same.”
There is no athlete collective bargaining agreement in the UFC, as fighters negotiate contracts independently. An antitrust lawsuit, settled in 2025, alleged the UFC has historically restricted fighter compensation to 13% to 20% of revenue.
The UFC has repeatedly defended its record on athlete compensation, while pointing to the existence of other leagues for athletes to compete in if they so choose.
Strickland, a controversial figure in MMA, said he believes American talent in MMA will eventually dry up because of the lack of fair pay. He argued that if anyone turns down a fight over an objection to their pay, the UFC will just find someone else willing to take less money.
Said Strickland: “You’re slowly going to see the American roster die because it’s, like, outsourced by people.”