Jake Paul calls out UFC star Sean Strickland to spar and puts $1 million on the line

YouTuber turned professional boxer Jake Paul has called out former UFC middleweight champion Sean Strickland to spar, putting $1 million on the line if he loses.

Sean Strickland’s first title defense as middleweight champion at UFC 297 in January didn’t go in his favor, as Dricus Du Plessis took home the belt after it was only in Strickland’s possession from September 2023 — when he took down Israel Adesanya.

Since losing the UFC title, Strickland has taken some time to relax and even mapped out a bizarre retirement plan for when his fighting days are done.

The 32-year-old recently accepted an offer from controversial influencer Sneako to spar on February 9, and after completely demolishing him, Strickland has got himself caught up in a squabble with Jake Paul.

Jake Paul wagers Sean Strickland $1 million to spar

In a series of posts on Twitter/X on February 9, Jake Paul called out Sean Strickland for being a “bully” in his spar with Sneako, who has no prior combat sport experience.

The YouTube star then called out the former UFC champ to spar, offering to put a million on the line if he loses. Although if he wins, Strickland will need to get a tattoo of Jake Paul’s betting company ‘Betr’.

“You’re embarrassing for trying to stop Sneako like that you weren’t even able to drop someone with no experience while going all out,” Paul said. “You’re a horrid boxer that only picks on inexperienced people..”

He added: “I’ll fly you to PR and we can fight on camera… if you win I’ll give you $1 million (half your net worth) But if you get dropped you have to get Betr tattooed on you. DM me. But just like Paddy I’m guessing you’ll find a way to run.”

Hitting back Strickland didn’t entertain the offer at first, and instead responded by simply mocking ‘The Problem Child’ for losing to “part-time boxer” Tommy Fury last year.

“You lost to a part-time boxer….. lmao……… don’t forget that,” he wrote. In another post, Strickland then called Paul a “joke” before claiming he’d gladly take his life if it were legal.

“Real talk… jokes aside.. Jake Paul is an utter fucking joke….. You box small retired old mma fighters and you sell sugar water to kids.. If it were legal I’d take your fucking life with a smile on my face. Is there any place on this earth I can take this man’s life and walk?

Instead of Paul’s proposed spar, Strickland suggested for the two to head out into the desert alone to settle their score, with no cameras and nobody else around.

“Actually Jake I’ll make you a better deal because money can’t buy happiness and you have plenty of it and youre still a cunt……. No cameras, me and you in a desert…. That would buy my happiness… No Instagram, no likes, no games…. Just you that’s what I want,” Strickland wrote.

While it’s unlikely we’ll actually see the two go blow-for-blow, we’ll just have to see what comes of their little feud online.