"Leftist arc??" - Fans react as Sean Strickland runs mouth about "criminal" UFC fighter pay and takes aim at BKFC

Sean Strickland defended his position as the top-ranked middleweight as he defeated Paulo Costa via split decision in the co-main event of UFC 302. Leading up to the bout, 'Tarzan' revealed that he does not believe the promotion does a good job of taking care of their fighters.

The former middleweight champion slammed both the UFC and Bare Knuckle Fighting Championship for how they compensate fighters in response to Mike Perry. He commented on a post shared on Instagram by OverDogs Podcast:

"UFC pay is utter garbage lol their signing guys at 10/10 that should be criminal... but the vast majority of BKFC fighters are getting paid way less than that..... As a ufc fighter I advocate for better pay for me and the entire roster...... You should do the same for your guys"

He added:

"While I'm on my soap box from a poor man who became kinda a rich man once you have capital it just snow balls. These elites could probably never take a paycheck again and easily make 500k a year.... yet they still line their bank accounts with millions that they will never need or spend. In all industries."

Check out a screenshot of Sean Strickland's comments below:

Some fans agreed with Strickland, while others mocked him for raising his voice against the pay structure.

Check out the comments below:

Fan reactions to Sean Strickland's comments [via @overdogspodcast on Instagram and @ChampRDS on Twitter]

Strickland replied to a fan:

"it's wild man.... these ceos and higher ups will fight the common man for pennies yet they will never be able to spend their paycheck.... wild world we live in"

Many fighters have criticized the UFC's pay structure. The most notable instance came in January 2023, when Francis Ngannou vacated the heavyweight title and left the promotion amidst an ongoing dispute over further pay. 'The Predator' became the first reigning champion to leave the UFC since B.J. Penn in 2004.

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What did Mike Perry say about Sean Strickland?

Sean Strickland blasted Bare Knuckle Fighting Championship while speaking to the media ahead of UFC 302. The No.1-ranked middleweight claimed that it would take more than the promotion would be willing to offer for him to fight bare knuckle.

Mike Perry responded to his claims during the latest episode of the Overdogs Podcast, stating:

"Sean Strickland, he's fighting for the UFC for pesos and I'm f**king getting paid over here and he's always posting videos on Instagram where he walks outside of his garage or his front door and somebody's in his driveway and he's trying to fight them bare knuckle for free right there so what are you talking about, Sean?"

Check out Mike Perry's comments on Sean Strickland below (8:47):

Perry entered the octagon 15 times during his UFC tenure, which lasted nearly five years. He ruled out a return to the promotion last September, claiming that he would have taken a significant pay cut.