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

Jake Paul ranks 23rd on the Forbes list of highest paid athletes for 2026 with total earnings of $70 million. Sean Strickland, the UFC middleweight champion, reacted by joking that he would leave his UFC contract to fight Paul. Strickland claimed that even a fraction of Paul’s earnings would exceed what he earns in the UFC and said he would beat Paul. The Forbes list includes Saul Alvarez as the only other combat sports athlete, while Conor McGregor is the only MMA fighter to appear, driven by boxing with Floyd Mayweather and profits from selling majority shares in Proper No.12 whiskey. Paul began boxing against social media influencers, later fought MMA fighters, and progressed to bouts against major boxers including Mike Tyson and Julio Cesar Chavez Jr., most recently facing Anthony Joshua.

""I gotta leave the UFC and go beat up Jake Paul. That's it," Strickland told Nina Marie-Daniele at a recent MMA event. "Leave my contract with the UFC. It's time for me to leave. If I made even a fraction of that I would be making more than the UFC is paying me. I would beat the s-t out of Jake Paul.""

"Paul entered the Forbes' list of highest paid athletes for 2026. "The Problem Child" is ranked 23rd on the list with a total earnings of $70 million. When Strickland heard the news, the UFC middleweight champion joked about terminating his contract with the promotion to go fight Paul. Strickland claims even a fraction of Paul's earnings is more than he is earning in the UFC."

"The only other combat sports athlete to make it to the list is Saul Alvarez, who took the second position with a total earnings of $170 million. Meanwhile, Conor McGregor is the only MMA fighter who ever made to the Forbes' list of highest paid athletes, first due to his boxing bout against Floyd Mayweather, and then due to the profits from his sale of majority shares in Proper No.12 whiskey."

"Paul initially started his boxing career against fellow social media influencers. Paul became a popular name in combat sports by fighting MMA fighters. The 29-year-old has since progressed to fighting boxers like Mike Tyson and Julio Cesar Chavez Jr. Paul most recently fought his toughest competition in former heavyweight champion Anthony Joshua, who stopped him in the sixth round."

Read at Sherdog