Dana White Rejects Sean Strickland’s Proposal for Jai Opetaia Boxing Match

UFC CEO Dana White has officially dismissed the possibility of middleweight champion Sean Strickland crossing over into professional boxing to face cruiserweight standout Jai Opetaia. The potential crossover bout was recently requested by Strickland, who has reportedly expressed frustration regarding the current direction of the UFC's schedule. Specifically, Strickland has been vocal about his dissatisfaction following the announcement that Charles Oliveira and Diego Lopes are slated to headline the upcoming UFC 335 event in a contest for the BMF championship. Strickland’s frustrations appear to stem from his status as the division's titleholder while feeling overlooked for high-profile main event slots. White, however, remains firm in his stance against allowing his champions to pursue outside boxing opportunities against high-level competition like Opetaia, citing the UFC’s current priorities and organizational strategy. The rejection leaves the middleweight champion’s immediate path forward within the promotion as the primary focus for the organization.

Source: MMA Mania.