Eddie Alvarez thinks Sean Strickland ought to take an extended, onerous take a look at what UFC pays him.
A former UFC middleweight champion, Strickland climbed again into the win column with a victory over Paulo Costa at UFC 302. Within the days earlier than the bout, he used a few of his press convention time to dismiss the concept of pursuing a profession in bare-knuckle boxing after he’s performed with MMA. Strickland was notably essential of BKFC, calling the promotion “f*cking crooks” and accusing them of not paying their fighters correctly.
Alvarez — presently a free agent — most not too long ago fought for BKFC this previous December, and he defended the promotion whereas taking a shot at Strickland’s lack of self-awareness throughout an look on The MMA Hour.
“He stated one thing like, referred to as it a sh*t promotion and that they pay like sh*t and blah, blah, blah, and I’m like, ‘That’s ironic for a man who simply actually fought in UFC your complete life for nothing,’” Alvarez stated. “You actually simply bought your little paycheck and also you’re going to speak sh*t on a promotion that’s simply beginning.
“I assumed it was cute of him to say one thing about fee, as a result of he’s like, ‘They don’t receives a commission like us.’ He most likely does properly within the UFC, however I make greater than Sean Strickland. I combat bare-knuckle.”
If Alvarez is right in his evaluation that he’s paid greater than Strickland, it’s probably because of the storied fight sports activities profession that Alvarez had prior to creating his bare-knuckle boxing debut in 2023. The 40-year-old is a former UFC and Bellator champion, and he holds wins over a prolonged checklist of greats, together with Justin Gaethje, Rafael dos Anjos, Anthony Pettis, Gilbert Melendez, Michael Chandler, and Shinya Aoki.
All through his profession, Alvarez has guess on himself a number of instances by competing for various promotions, and he instructed that Strickland could need to get a greater worth of his value.
“He’s a complainer of pay, however he’s speaking about all of the promotions not paying,” Alvarez stated. “Hey, motherf*cker, they pay, they usually pay greater than you’re getting paid, and also you’re this well-known, well-known — I don’t know what number of followers he has and the way well-known he’s, my son loves him so he’s a man, he’s a UFC character, however he was speaking sh*t on Naked Knuckle. I’m like, don’t you say sh*t about Naked Knuckle. We’re getting paid.”
BKFC has made enormous strides over the previous few years, with former UFC fighter Mike Perry rising as a star and Conor McGregor not too long ago changing into an element proprietor of the promotion. It has rapidly risen to develop into probably the most outstanding fight sports activities organizations in North America.
Alvarez was requested if BKFC is among the many prime three promotions for the time being, and he heartily answered within the affirmative.
“They’re,” Alvarez stated. “If you wish to be promoted and develop into a recognized particular person, as a result of if you take a look at Naked Knuckle’s movies, they’re getting one million [views] and up. Generally even UFC fights aren’t getting one million and up in relation to YouTube, so if you wish to be recognized and also you need to get your identify on the market, there’s the UFC and Naked Knuckle proper now. I don’t know if there’s very well-known PFL fighters, what I imply?”
