UFC champ Sean Strickland lashes out amid pay dispute, threatens to vacate title and leave promotion

Sean Strickland’s ongoing contract dispute with the UFC may be getting even messier. Strickland, the current UFC middleweight champion and a two-time titleholder, was expected to defend his belt against top contenderNassourdine Imavov to close out 2026, however those plans ultimately fell through after Strickland and the promotion were unable to agree to terms over the champion’s pay. As a result, the UFC opted to book Charles Oliveira vs. Diego Lopes in a BMF title bout to headline UFC 335 on Dec. 12. Strickland, 35, has been open about his ongoing negotiations with the UFC, often divulging his frustrations over…