Sean Strickland reacts to Jake Paul entering Forbes’ list of highest paid athletes

UFC middleweight champion Sean Strickland said he could leave the promotion to box Jake Paul after learning Paul ranked 23rd on Forbes' 2026 highest-paid athletes list with $70 million in reported earnings. In remarks at a recent MMA event, Strickland contrasted his UFC pay with Jake Paul's Forbes 2026 placement and said even a fraction would exceed his current compensation. He also expressed confidence about winning a boxing match against Paul. Forbes listed Saul Alvarez second at $170 million. Conor McGregor remains the only MMA fighter to have previously made the list. Paul rose from influencer bouts to face MMA fighters and boxers including Mike Tyson, Julio Cesar Chavez Jr., and Anthony Joshua.