UFC president Dana White shared his reaction to UFC middleweight champion Sean Strickland saying he wants to do boxing.
Strickland is currently involved in a public pay dispute with the UFC, as he has made it clear through a series of social media posts that he is unhappy with his current pay to fight inside the Octagon and wants to get a raise for his proposed rematch against Nassourdine Imavov.
Dana White Reacts to Sean Strickland’s Boxing Threats
Speaking to Nina Drama at Power Slap, White shared his reaction to Strickland saying he would be willing to do boxing and saying that he would beat Zuffa Boxing cruiserweight champion Jai Opetaia.
“I don’t think it ever goes good crossing over to boxing with the MMA, but Strickland is a tough guy and has hands,” White said, before flat-out saying “No” when asked if Strickland has a chance in that fight.
“I don’t think it ever goes good crossing over boxing with MMA.”
Will the UFC Come to Terms on a New Deal With Sean Strickland?
UFC fans want to see Strickland get back into the Octagon ASAP, as he is one of the best fighters in the sport, and he’s also great on the mic, which leads to highly anticipated press conferences and media spots heading into his bouts.
We even recently saw a viral clip between Strickland and Imavov when they ran into each other at the UFC Performance Institute, which racked up millions of views on social media. So, clearly, there is an appetite for MMA fans to watch Strickland fight.
However, he is currently under contract with the UFC, so the promotion is under no obligation to give him the raise that he desires. Instead, they can keep him on the sidelines by continuing to offer him fights. As long as they offer him fights, his contract will continue to toll.
Will White and the UFC give Strickland the raise he wants, then? It’s hard to say right now, but MMA fans hope cooler heads will prevail.
Dana White Reacts to Sean Strickland Threatening to Do Boxing