Sean Strickland has agreed to a fight with Paulo Costa, setting the stage for a clash between two of the middleweight division’s top dogs.
Previously, Costa has claimed that Strickland had turned down the proposed showdown targeted for UFC 302. Strickland later clarified on social media that his objection was not to the fight itself, but the money that the promotion was offering him to jump straight into a fight camp.
After meeting with the UFC to air his grievances, it appears that the two parties have come to an agreement.
“Well had a meeting with the UFC and told them that I don’t want to be rich,” Strickland wrote on X. “I want to be able to support a family after my career is done. They actually were pretty supportive, made it happen. Thank you fans!
“Alright @BorrachinhaMMA you got your wish… Let’s do some bleeding.”
Well had a meeting with the UFC and told them that I don't want to be rich. I want to be able to support a family after my career is done
They actually were pretty supportive, made it happen. Thank you fans!
Alright @BorrachinhaMMA you got your wish… Let's do some bleeding.
— Sean Strickland (@SStricklandMMA) April 10, 2024
The fight is expected to feature as the co-main event when the Ultimate Fighting Championship returns to the Prudential Center in Newark, New Jersey on Saturday, June 1.
After Failing to Campaign for a Rematch with Dricus Du Plessis, Sean Strickland Will Fight Down in the Rankings
UFC 302 will be Sean Strickland’s first time competing since coming up on the wrong side of a razor-close split decision against newly crowned middleweight world champion Dricus Du Plessis at UFC 297. ‘Tarzan’ was campaigning for an immediate rematch with ‘Stillknocks’ given the close nature of their January scrap.
Instead, the UFC appears bound and determined to move forward with a meeting between Du Plessis and former two-time titleholder Israel Adesanya.
As for Costa, the No. 7 ranked middleweight contender is two months removed from a unanimous decision loss to ex-titleholder Robert Whittaker at UFC 298. With a win over Strickland, ‘The Eraser’ could put himself back into the title picture, potentially challenging the winner of DDP vs. Adesanya.
No main event has been announced for UFC 302, but the promotion recently announced that a heavyweight matchup between Jailton Almeida and Alexandr Romanov is expected to go down in The Garden State.
