Sean Strickland believes his journey in the fight world has been quite successful financially.
The former UFC middleweight champion recently joined popular influencer Adin Ross on a live stream, covering a range of topics both inside and outside the fight game. During their conversation, Strickland was asked about his financial situation, prompting him to share an estimate of his current wealth and his projections for his finances once his fighting career concludes.
Strickland estimated his “liquid” net worth to be around $4 million. He clarified that “liquid” in this context means investments, including approximately $500,000 in real estate, with the remainder held in various accounts.
Looking ahead to his retirement, Strickland anticipates his net worth could realistically reach $8-10 million even in a less favorable scenario. He expressed confidence in being able to live comfortably on this amount, suggesting he could make annual withdrawals of about five percent, translating to roughly $400,000 per year based on an $8 million base.
Although official records of Strickland`s total earnings over his 11-year, 23-fight UFC career (which includes three title bouts) are not publicly available, he is widely considered one of the higher-paid athletes on the roster. Nevertheless, Strickland has been vocal about issues concerning UFC fighter compensation, stating in May 2024 to Daniel Cormier that the promotion does not handle contract negotiations correctly.
While Strickland expects to be financially stable after he stops fighting, he remains unsure whether he will stay active within the MMA community or pursue entirely different interests post-retirement.
He commented that he doesn`t intend to stop working. Strickland shared a reflection: after receiving a significant payment following a fight, often while dealing with injuries like a broken nose that prevent further fighting, he finds himself contemplating what genuinely brings him happiness. Despite having financial freedom, he`s realized he feels the most unhappy when he wakes up and asks himself that very question.
Strickland`s immediate focus is returning to the win column after his recent loss in the championship rematch against Dricus du Plessis at UFC 312. The 34-year-old currently does not have a fight scheduled. He disclosed to Ross that he recently declined an offer to face Caio Borralho, a rising contender in the top 10, explaining the decision stemmed from their personal relationship.
Confirming the opponent was Borralho, Strickland elaborated that fighting someone he knows personally, including their family, makes such matchups difficult. He described Borralho as a “cool guy” and a “really nice guy,” which led him to question whether he truly wanted to proceed with the fight.
