Dana White dismisses Sean Strickland's callout of Jai Opetaia
Yahoo Sports • 1 min read • Latest: Oct 13, 2026, 5:21 AM
Last updated Oct 13, 2026
Dana White addressed Sean Strickland's recent challenge to Zuffa Boxing champion Jai Opetaia, stating that crossovers between MMA and boxing rarely succeed. Strickland had made his dissatisfaction with the UFC public after his title defense against Nassourdine Imavov was canceled. He expressed interest in potentially moving to boxing for better pay and has specifically mentioned facing Opetaia. White, however, remains skeptical and suggested that a more likely matchup for Opetaia would be former heavyweight champion Deontay Wilder. Strickland is currently without a confirmed middleweight title defense following the issues with his contract negotiations as he stays under the UFC banner.
- •Dana White warns against MMA fighters crossing over to boxing.
- •Strickland aims to fight for higher pay outside the UFC.
- •Opetaia mentioned as a target by Strickland for a boxing match.
- •White suggests Wilder as a more plausible opponent for Opetaia.
- •Strickland won't defend his title until contract issues are resolved.
- 5:21 AMYahoo Sports — Dana White Shoots Down Sean Strickland’s Callout of Zuffa Boxing Champion Jai Opetaia
"Sean Strickland has made his dissatisfaction with the UFC increasingly clear after his planned middleweight title defense against Nassourdine Imavov at UFC 335 fell through. The champion has spent the past few days openly criticizing the promotion over fighter pay and the terms of his current contract. Strickland has even considered moving up to light …
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