Jorge Masvidal steps in for Sean Strickland’s fighter-pay complaints, says a boxing pivot should not distract from UFC title defense

UFC middleweight champion Sean Strickland is in the middle of a brewing public dispute over fighter pay, and the conversation has spilled beyond the Octagon. In comments carried by Yahoo Sports, former UFC welterweight contender Jorge Masvidal argued Strickland should not have to operate from a position where contract and compensation disagreements become the centerpiece while he is still preparing for a title defense.

Strickland’s remarks, as described in the report, did not soften the message. With his upcoming UFC middleweight title defense lined up against Nassourdine Imavov, Strickland addressed pay concerns while negotiating what comes next for him inside the sport. The report also says Strickland floated the idea of fighting out his contract and pursuing a boxing bout with Jake Paul, a scenario that would change the practical meaning of “defending” the UFC belt in the eyes of many fans and stakeholders.

Masvidal’s response positioned the issue less as a personal grudge and more as a challenge to how the business side of the sport is handled. According to the report, Masvidal said that boxing Jake Paul should not even be an option for a UFC champion who is simultaneously disputing his pay. That framing suggested Masvidal viewed the comparison between a UFC championship fight and a high-profile crossover as a distraction from a titleholder’s obligations, rather than a business decision that could be treated as a lateral step.

The report situates the comments in a wider context: title defenses are typically expected to be the central professional focus for champions, particularly when the challenger is already in place and the matchup is set. Strickland’s public discussion about pay, combined with the suggestion of boxing options, could complicate the optics of an otherwise standard title-prep cycle by turning it into a negotiation referendum.

At the same time, Strickland’s stance, as summarized by Yahoo Sports, underscores the pressure that fighter-pay controversies place on UFC champions who are supposed to represent stability and continuity in the division. When a champion indicates he is considering leaving the contract structure or even switching sports, it can raise uncertainty about how long the current title picture will remain fixed, and how soon fans will see the next wave of contenders given a clear target.

For Masvidal, the argument appears to be that champions should not be forced into a “either defend or bolt” narrative as a result of pay disagreements. The report presents Masvidal as defending Strickland while also criticizing the notion that an active UFC middleweight champion should be entertaining a boxing path while talking about getting paid, implying that the UFC ecosystem should be capable of supporting both a fair business deal and an uninterrupted title defense.

What to watch next is whether Strickland’s public comments lead to clearer resolution in the negotiation that sits behind his grievances, and how UFC handles the practical timing and messaging around the middleweight title defense against Imavov. Even without additional details, the storyline described by Yahoo Sports points to an ongoing clash between fighter leverage and institutional expectations, with the championship belt serving as the backdrop for decisions that could reach beyond MMA.