Sean Strickland was walking out of the UFC Performance Institute in Las Vegas when Nassourdine Imavov caught up with him and demanded to know why the title fight between them still had no signatures. Security stepped in, Strickland kept walking, and the clip spread across X on October 7. That short scene sums up where the Sean Strickland next fight question sits right now: the No. 3 contender wants it, and the champion is talking about leaving.
In a run of posts that week, Strickland said he was ready to give up the middleweight belt, finish his UFC contract and move to boxing. No bout is booked, so the Sean Strickland next fight could be a title defense, a move up in weight or a boxing match. The UFC has not commented on his status.
What Strickland actually said this week
The first post came on X on October 7. Strickland wrote that “unless things change with the UFC Im kinda over it” and added that he was “contemplating just going to 205 knocking out my contract.” He followed up by pointing to the roughly $30 million he says Conor McGregor collected for a very short appearance, and when a fan argued he deserved more after beating Israel Adesanya and Khamzat Chimaev, he replied that “they both made significantly more than me.”
A day later he went further. He wrote that his body was wearing down from MMA camps, mentioning a groin tear and a separated AC joint, and that his heart was no longer in the sport. In an Instagram video he reminded fans that he has fought for the UFC title four times and won it twice, then said: “I’m not doing it anymore. I want to fight. I want to box.”
He named two boxing options himself. Jake Paul, he says, has offered him a fight, and he also floated a move to Zuffa Boxing to face cruiserweight champion Jai Opetaia.
Sean Strickland record and how he got the belt back
Strickland is 31-7 according to his official UFC athlete profile, with 12 wins by knockout, 4 by submission and 15 on the scorecards. He is 35, and his last two wins both came in 2026.
| Date | Opponent | Result |
|---|---|---|
| May 9, 2026 (UFC 328) | Khamzat Chimaev | Win, split decision, 5 rounds (won title) |
| Feb. 21, 2026 | Anthony Hernandez | Win, TKO, Round 3 at 2:23 |
| Feb. 8, 2025 (UFC 312) | Dricus du Plessis | Loss, unanimous decision, 5 rounds (title fight) |
Chimaev has since pushed for a rematch, but that has not been signed either.
Why the Sean Strickland next fight is stuck
Money is the obstacle, and Strickland has said so directly. In September he described a defense against Imavov as close, with the purse as the last thing left to settle. The bout was first talked about for UFC 335, yet when the UFC filled that card, it went with Charles Oliveira vs Diego Lopes for the BMF title on top and Alex Pereira vs Sergei Pavlovich underneath, on December 12 at T-Mobile Arena. We broke that event down in our UFC 335 fight card preview.
With December filled, the most realistic window for a deal is early next year.
What this means for the middleweight division
Imavov has done everything a contender is supposed to do. He sits No. 3 in the official UFC rankings at 17-4, with recent wins over Caio Borralho, Israel Adesanya and Brendan Allen. Chimaev is No. 1 and Dricus du Plessis No. 2, and both already have history with the champion. Allen, ranked No. 4, headlines UFC Vegas 122 against Christian Leroy Duncan this weekend, which we covered in our Allen vs Duncan preview.
Until the Sean Strickland next fight is settled, a frozen title stalls all of those men. If Strickland gives the belt up, the UFC would likely pair two of the top contenders for the vacant title, and Imavov would have a strong claim to one of the spots. If he holds it without fighting, the queue behind him simply waits.
Three realistic paths for the Sean Strickland next fight
A deal for Imavov. The cleanest outcome. Imavov has finished Adesanya and outpointed Borralho over five rounds, so this would be a real test for both men. It only happens if the purse gap closes.
A move to 205 to finish the contract. Strickland has said the cut to 185 no longer feels worth the money. The light heavyweight belt belongs to Carlos Ulberg, but nothing suggests Strickland would be targeting a title there; his own words frame it as a way to complete his obligations.
Sean Strickland boxing. This is the option he talks about most. A Jake Paul fight or a Zuffa Boxing bout with Opetaia would need his UFC deal to be finished or released first, and no timeline for that exists in public.
What we still don’t know
The UFC has not announced a Strickland defense, has not commented on his posts and has not said anything about a vacant title. How many fights remain on his contract is also not public. Until one of those facts changes, any Sean Strickland next fight date is speculation.
These posts also landed in the middle of purse talks, and public pressure is a familiar bargaining move. His frustration may be sincere, but a post on X is not a signed release.
Frequently asked questions
Who is Sean Strickland fighting next?
Nobody yet. A title defense against Nassourdine Imavov was in talks, but it has not been signed and the UFC has not announced a date.
Is Sean Strickland leaving the UFC?
He says he may. Strickland posted that he would give up the belt, finish his contract and move to boxing unless UFC pay changes, but he has not been released.
When was Sean Strickland’s last fight?
May 9, 2026 at UFC 328, where he beat Khamzat Chimaev by split decision to win the middleweight title for a second time.
Why Imavov is still the Sean Strickland next fight to make
Boxing money is real, but the fight that settles the division is sitting right there. Imavov has earned it, Strickland has beaten bigger names, and five rounds between them would tell fans more than any social media post. Watch for a UFC announcement or a vacated belt in the coming weeks; whichever comes first will decide the Sean Strickland next fight. The champion holds the cards today, and that kind of power rarely lasts long at 185.