Dana White has no interest in seeing UFC middleweight champion Sean Strickland cross over into boxing to take on Zuffa cruiserweight champion Jai Opetaia.
Strickland hasn’t been a happy soldier since UFC 335 was announced with a BMF belt fight between Charles Oliveira vs. Diego Lopes in the main event. That was supposed to be Sean Strickland vs. Nassourdine Imavov 2, but the UFC and Strickland hit an impasse over pay for the fight. Now “Tarzan” says he’s ready to drop the belt and ‘nuke’ his UFC contract
unless the UFC agrees to his demands.
One suggestion Strickland had: let him box Zuffa Boxing cruiserweight champion Jai Opetaia. Unfortunately, UFC CEO and Zuffa Boxing head Dana White isn’t down with that.
“I don’t think it ever goes good, crossing over to boxing with the MMA,” White told Nina Drama. “But Strickland is a tough guy and has hands.”
Asked if that meant there was a chance White would book the fight, he laughed and said “No!”
“There’s a really good chance that Jai Opetaia fights Deontay Wilder,” White said. “There’s a really good chance of that.”
Reports have Wilder agreeing to face Opetaia on the undercard of the Anthony Joshua vs. Tyson Fury boxing card on December 11th. There’s been no quick response from Opetaia to those reports, so we assume negotiations are ongoing.
That leaves Strickland without a fight in UFC or boxing. He’s insisted he’ll sit out until his contractual situation is resolved. Could it be months before we see the middleweight title defended again?
