Sean Strickland Jokes About Leaving UFC After Seeing Jake Paul’s Massive Forbes Earnings
Sean Strickland has reacted to Jake Paul making Forbes’ 2026 highest paid athletes list in the most Sean Strickland way possible.
After reports revealed that Jake Paul earned an estimated $70 million and landed among the world’s highest paid athletes, Strickland jokingly suggested he may need to leave the UFC entirely and chase a boxing payday against the social media star.
“I gotta leave the UFC and go beat up Jake Paul. That’s it. Cut my contract, UFC. It’s time for me to leave,” Strickland said.
The comment quickly started circulating across social media, with fans reacting to both the humor and the reality behind what Strickland was saying. Jake Paul’s financial rise in combat sports continues to shock many traditional fighters, especially considering how quickly he has become one of the biggest money makers in the industry.
Jake Paul’s Earnings Continue To Frustrate MMA Fighters
A large part of the online reaction came from the fact that no active MMA fighters appeared on Forbes’ newest highest paid athletes rankings, while boxing managed to place both Jake Paul and Canelo Álvarez on the list.
That difference has reignited debates around fighter pay in MMA compared to boxing. Many UFC fighters have openly discussed the gap between boxing purses and UFC contracts over the years, and Jake Paul himself has repeatedly criticized fighter pay inside mixed martial arts.
For someone like Strickland, who built his reputation through years of brutal fights inside the Octagon, seeing a crossover boxing star earn tens of millions naturally became an easy target for jokes online.
At the same time, fans also know there is probably some truth behind the humor. A potential Sean Strickland vs Jake Paul fight would likely generate huge attention, especially because of Strickland’s outspoken personality and willingness to say almost anything publicly.
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Could A Jake Paul Fight Actually Happen?
Even though Strickland’s comments were clearly made jokingly, the idea of UFC fighters crossing over into boxing is becoming more common every year. Combat sports audiences are now heavily driven by entertainment, social media attention and pay per view sales as much as pure sporting achievement.
Jake Paul has already fought several former MMA names and continues to position himself as one of the biggest attractions in combat sports. Meanwhile, Strickland’s personality alone would probably help sell a massive event if the two were ever linked seriously.
For now though, the comments mainly highlight the growing frustration many MMA fighters feel when comparing UFC paydays to the kind of money top boxing stars are making. And after seeing Forbes’ latest rankings, Sean Strickland clearly had a few thoughts about it.
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