Sean Strickland Criticizes UFC Fighters' Salaries as 'Predators'

JAKARTA - Former UFC middleweight champion Sean Strickland has called the company's pay structure a 'predator' ahead of his main event on Sunday, February 22, 2026, WIB morning, against Anthony Hernandez at UFC Fight Night in Houston.

In an interview ahead of the fight with Complex this week, Strickland - who will be making his 24th appearance in the octagon - downplayed the significance of the UFC's recent move to increase fight bonuses to $100,000 - up from $50,000 - before attacking fighters' overall compensation.

"As far as the scale of salaries is concerned, if you compare it to other sports events, the UFC is the most chaotic. The salaries of athletes compared to what (UFC) earns, there is no argument there. It's not fair. It's predatory."

"I just want it to be on par with other sporting events. Other sporting events, how much they make, that's what we should get."

"Let's say the NFL gives 70 percent of its profits - this is just an example - to its players. The UFC should do the same thing," Strickland told Complex.

There is no collective bargaining agreement for athletes in the UFC because the fighters negotiate contracts independently.

The antitrust lawsuit, which settled in 2025, alleges the UFC has historically capped fighters' compensation at 13 percent to 20 percent of revenue.

The UFC has repeatedly defended its track record on athlete compensation, while threatening athletes with a move to another league to compete if they wanted to.

Strickland, a controversial figure in MMA, said he believes America's talent in MMA will eventually run out due to a lack of fair pay.

He argued that if anyone refused a fight because they objected to the pay, the UFC would find someone else willing to accept a lower fee.

"You're slowly going to see the American roster die because it's outsourced to the outside," Strickland said.