Strickland Warns Young Fighters On UFC Pay Reality

Sean Strickland has told aspiring fighters to think twice before pursuing a UFC career, detailing the financial struggles that come with entry-level contracts in the promotion.

The UFC middleweight champion appeared on the Shawn Ryan Show and delivered a stark assessment of what new fighters face when they sign with the organization. According to Strickland, as reported by Sherdog, athletes entering on typical 10-and-10 deals — $10,000 to show and $10,000 to win — take home far less after manager fees and taxes eat into their purse.

Strickland On UFC Contracts And Matchmaking Pressure

"When you're a fighter, you're so f*cking poor," Strickland said on the podcast. "Even in the UFC. UFC guys, they're signing guys at like, 10 and 10, [$10,000] to show, [$10,000] to win, $20 grand. So, then you pay off your manager, you pay taxes; if you lose, you only get like eight, seven grand."

Strickland went further, calling out UFC matchmaker Sean Shelby by name and claiming fighters risk long stretches of inactivity if they turn down short-notice opportunities. He described the matchmaking process as brutal, with fighters who decline late-replacement offers getting benched for months at a time.

Despite his criticism, the middleweight champion acknowledged the UFC has provided him opportunities he would never have had otherwise. Strickland's next title defense has not been announced.

Original reporting:

• sherdog.com — Sean Strickland warns young fighters about the reality of UFC life