Sean
Strickland has slammed fighter compensation in the
Ultimate Fighting Championship.

Strickland recently detailed the financial plight of newly signed
UFC fighters. The outspoken reigning middleweight champion also hit
out at a UFC matchmaker and some of the promotion's practices that
have rubbed him the wrong way.

UFC middleweight champion Sean Strickland says aspiring
fighters should understand the financial challenges of MMA

During a recent appearance on the “Shawn Ryan Show,†Strickland
offered a blunt assessment of the life of the average UFC athlete,
arguing that entry-level contracts and the financial realities of
competing in the Octagon leave many fighters struggling to make
ends meet despite reaching MMA's biggest stage.

“When you're a fighter, you're so f*cking poor,†Strickland said.
“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.â€

According to Strickland, the financial challenges become even more
severe when injuries or inactivity enter the equation. While he
acknowledged that the UFC provides life-changing opportunities for
many international fighters, he described the promotion's pay
structure as “predatory,†particularly for athletes based in the
United States.

Strickland also criticized the UFC's matchmaking process, claiming
fighters often feel pressured to accept short-notice bouts because
declining them can lead to lengthy layoffs. He then singled out
longtime UFC matchmaker Sean Shelby, saying fighters often fear
turning down opportunities because of the possibility of being
sidelined for months.

“This guy [Shelby] is so f*cking brutal,†Strickland added. “You
could have a boring fight or something, and this mother*cker will
bench you for like eight months. Or you could say, ‘Hey Sean, I
want a fight.' He'll call you two weeks out from a fight… And if
you say no, he'll bench your ass. Yeah, the UFC is f*cking
brutal.â€

Strickland even suggested he'd discourage aspiring fighters from
pursuing a UFC career, though he stopped short of dismissing the
opportunities the organization has provided him. Despite his
criticism, Strickland acknowledged the opportunities the UFC has
provided.

“As much as I hate the UFC and I knock on them, they give people
opportunity you'd never have,†Strickland concluded. “I'd never
have opportunity.â€

Coach Javier Mendez claims Magomed
Zaynukov is a well-rounded fighter.

Muay thai specialist Zaynukov (9-0) stands out in Khabib
Nurmagomedov's team, which is known for its dominant
wrestling-heavy approach. However, Mendez claims Zaynukov has
developed a well-rounded arsenal and has the potential to emerge as
a big star in the
Ultimate Fighting Championship.

Javier Mendez explains why Magomed Zaynukov's wrestling growth
makes him more than a Muay Thai specialist

The
American Kickboxing Academy head coach claims Zaynukov gives
Islam
Makhachev tough rounds in sparring as he has sharpened his
wrestling defense and has even accrued some ground attacks. Mendez
also believes that “Wild Chanco†will grow into a fan favorite,
given his fighting style.

“Chanco gives Islam some really tough rounds because he's gotten
really good at defending and surviving on the ground and getting
back up,†Mendez told Red Corner MMA. “Or even attacking on the
ground. ‘Chanco' is a total MMA package. Don't look at him as just
a Thai boxer. He's a total package. He can do it all… He likes to
strike because that's what he's done his whole life… People
normally tend to like the strikers over the ground guys. So
‘Chanco' is going to be a fan favorite for sure.â€

Zaynukov earned a contract on
Dana White's Contender Series last year and made his UFC debut
against Damian
Rzepecki at
UFC Abu Dhabi. He battered Rzepecki with a variety of strikes,
including some flashy elbows, en route to a decision win.

“Chanko is a total MMA package. Don't look
at him as just a Thai boxer.â€

Earlier this year, we caught up with coach Javier Mendez, who spoke
highly of Magomed “Chanko†Zaynukov, calling him a complete mixed
martial artist with all the tools to become a UFC fan favourite
and… pic.twitter.com/koOENnlzWG

— Red Corner MMA (@RedCorner_MMA)
July 29, 2026

Thad
Jean believes he is on par with the top three welterweights in
the
Ultimate Fighting Championship.

Jean (12-0) won the
Professional Fighters League welterweight championship with a
third-round stoppage win over Ernesto
Rodriguez. Despite stepping up on 48 hours' notice, Rodriguez
gave Jean all he could handle, even knocking “Silverback†down in
the second round. However, Jean survived the scare and came back to
finish an exhausted Rodriguez in the third round.

Thad Jean slams fans who diminish PFL championship

While many consider UFC fighters the best in the world, Jean
believes he can stand his own against the best welterweights in the
world. According to the American, only casual fans consider PFL
fighters lesser than UFC fighters. While Jean knows he will face
backlash for his opinion, the undefeated PFL champion claims he
could win a title in the UFC.

“I’m up there. I’m top three,†Jean told Ariel Helwani. “I know
people talk trash about the PFL and say, ‘Oh, because you’re in the
PFL, you’re nothing.' The level of fighters in the PFL is just as
high as the people in the UFC. And the reason you don’t understand
that, the reason you don’t think so, is because you’re a casual.
You’re not a true MMA fan. You don't understand the game as much as
you hope or think you do. I’m at the top of the PFL [welterweight]
division. I’m the champion and there’s nothing that would stop me
from being the welterweight champion in the UFC.â€

Jean joined the PFL in 2023 after just four bouts. The 28-year-old
won the PFL welterweight tournament in 2025 with notable wins over
Mukhamed
Berkhamov, Jason
Jackson and Logan
Storley.

Meanwhile, the UFC welterweight title will be contested at UFC
330 on Aug. 15 at Xfinity Mobile Arena in Philadelphia, where
Islam
Makhachev will look to record his first title defense at 170
pounds against Ireland's Ian
Garry.

A lightweight
title fight headlines PFL NY: Tune on Friday, July 31 at 7 p.m. ET
on ESPN.

Thad Jean has
no doubt where he’d rank among the UFC’s welterweights:

“I’m up there. I’m top 3. I know people talk trash about the PFL
and say because you’re in the PFL, you’re nothing.

The level of fighters in the PFL is just as high as the people in
the UFC. The reason you… pic.twitter.com/MxvueeNCUs

— Ariel Helwani (@arielhelwani)
July 28, 2026