Strickland threatens to vacate, eyes Jake Paul money

Sean Strickland's pay standoff with the UFC went nuclear: the middleweight champion floated vacating his belt to chase a Jake Paul payday, Paul bit, and top contender Nassourdine Imavov tracked him down in person at the UFC PI. Away from the drama, the nostalgia-booking circuit lit up with Cerrone-Pettis 3 and a Chris Leben comeback, while new flyweight queen Natalia Silva told Valentina Shevchenko to get in line.

Strickland threatens to vacate belt, speed-run contract and box Jake Paul

Sean Strickland said that unless UFC pay improves he's "kinda over it," floating a plan to vacate the 185-pound title, move to 205 to run out his contract, then box Jake Paul. He pointed to Conor McGregor's reported $30 million and Conor Benn's $15 million as proof he's underpaid, and said he earned far less than Israel Adesanya or Khamzat Chimaev, the men he beat for the belt. Paul responded by asking if Strickland is out of contract and telling him to have his promoter "call MVP"; Strickland said he was shocked Paul would actually agree to box him.

Why it matters: A reigning champion openly plotting his exit over pay, days after UFC booked UFC 335 without him, turns the middleweight title picture and the promotion's pay optics into a live problem.

Imavov runs up on Strickland at the UFC PI over stalled title fight

Nassourdine Imavov confronted Strickland outside the UFC Performance Institute in Las Vegas, demanding he sign the title-fight contract and again offering to pay out of his own pocket, before security pulled him back as he tried to charge at the champion. Imavov had first gone to Strickland's gym looking for him. Strickland dismissed the viral footage as "fake content" and "definition of cringe," saying it was staged for clicks and that he just felt awkward.

Why it matters: The No. 1 contender is effectively doing the UFC's matchmaking in public while the champ stalls over money, piling pressure on a middleweight title fight that may now slip into 2027.

Cerrone vs. Pettis 3 booked — as a wrestling match at RAF 15

Real American Freestyle announced Donald Cerrone vs. Anthony Pettis, a grappling-only match at RAF 15 on Nov. 28 at NOW Arena near Chicago, with both former UFC fighters making their promotional debuts. It's a third meeting between the pair: Pettis won both MMA bouts, a 2013 first-round KO and a 2020 decision at UFC 249. Cerrone, 43, hasn't competed since his submission loss to Jim Miller at UFC 276 in 2022.

Why it matters: RAF keeps stacking its cards with recognizable UFC names, and this one coaxes Hall-of-Famer Cerrone back into competition four years after retirement — on the mats rather than in the cage.

Chris Leben ends 13-year MMA layoff for Akiyama's retirement fight

Black Combat announced Chris Leben vs. Yoshihiro Akiyama at Black Combat 17: Vantablack on Nov. 21 at Gocheok Sky Dome in Seoul, with the bout serving as Akiyama's retirement fight. It's a rematch of their 2010 UFC 116 Fight of the Night, which Leben won by third-round triangle choke. Leben, 46, hasn't fought MMA since a 2013 loss to Uriah Hall; Akiyama, 51, closes a career that ran through the UFC and ONE Championship.

Why it matters: A 16-year-old rematch as a send-off is pure nostalgia booking, but it marks Leben's first MMA fight in nearly 13 years and a fitting curtain call for one of Japan's cult stars.

Silva to Shevchenko: 'Get in line' for a shot at my belt

New flyweight champion Natalia Silva pushed back on Valentina Shevchenko's vow to reclaim the title, telling the ex-champ to "get in line" and noting that Shevchenko fought roughly once a year. Silva, 9-0 in the UFC, said she won't sit and wait and wants to be active in early 2027, floating Alexa Grasso and Erin Blanchfield as contenders. Her stance contradicts the reported UFC assurance that Shevchenko — who was pushed to vacate due to injury — would get an immediate title shot on her return.

Why it matters: The 125-pound picture isn't settled: a champion signaling she'll defend against the queue rather than hand Shevchenko a return bout reshapes who fights for the belt next.

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