The issue of fighter pay continues on as Tim Kennedy made statements about how he could make more money emptying trash cans than fighting in the UFC.
Kennedy stated on the Grappletalk podcast that while he will be making $70,000 at UFC 162, he would only be taking home $20,000 after expenses. He also chastised MMA web sites for regurgitating UFC propaganda.
Kennedy went into damage control mode stating that his comments were taken out of context. He said on the podcast that “the UFC doesn’t pay very well.” Apparently, that was interpreted incorrectly.
Via MMA Junkie:
“The intent of these statements was to highlight that professional fighters incur significant expense associated with their preparations to fight and that fighter compensation is still not on par with other major sports.
“Unfortunately, I made statements that alluded to how the UFC in particular pays its athletes,” he wrote. “This was particularly offensive as Zuffa has taken better care of me than any other organization, even giving me a bonus for being amusing on Twitter. My choice of words was poor, not properly informed, and did not match my intent. Additionally, my comments were taken out of context. “
Criticism of fighter pay usually occurs after your career in the organization is over. Kennedy’s first fight with the UFC is Saturday. Kennedy joins John Cholish, Jon Fitch and Jacob Volkmann as UFC fighters that have spoken out about fighter pay. The only difference between the four is that Kennedy is the only one that was currently on the roster when he talked about UFC pay. Cholish retired, Fitch and Volkmann were released.
Travis Browne chimed in with an interview with MMA Junkie in which he stated that while he respects Kennedy, Browne realizes what he signed up for when he signed on with Zuffa. While he’s not making top money, he’s content with his UFC salary.
Former UFC Fighter Nate Quarry gave his opinion on the subject. In an interview with Bloody Elbow, Quarry talks about fighter pay, sponsorships and the possibility of a union to address these issues.
While Quarry does not believe a union will occur, he would like to see the fighters get a 3 fight contract with a no cut clause from the UFC. Quarry is against the sponsorship tax as he told BE that one of his sponsors at the time, basketball brand And 1, ceased sponsoring him once the UFC stated it would require it pay the organization $50,000. While the Zuffa arguments that a sponsor fee would preclude lower paying brands and facilitate more blue chip sponsors to the UFC, Quarry indicates that it’s not happening.
With the latest public comments on fighter pay, does Zuffa care?
Payout Perspective:
Fighters not satisfied with their pay? Sounds like just about everyone else that has a job. As has been outlined numerous times, the life of a fighter is difficult and while it may seem like they have made it by being in the UFC, its obvious that there are financial realities for those not at the top of the card.
Quarry’s explanation of the realities of fighter pay are sobering and offer a glimpse of what he had to do to make ends meet. Of course, he’s retired and has had some time to think about his time as a fighter. Kennedy’s responses to the line of questioning on the podcast may be honest but not prudent for the longevity of his career in the UFC unless he wins all his fights.
Could all of this talk about fighter pay be helpful in creating a change. Or maybe Dana White will just bury anyone that talks out about it. Kennedy will be an interesting case. He has served in the U.S. military and should be respected. So, White may not be able to dismiss Kennedy that easily unless he loses this Saturday. Yet, his comments may make Zuffa concerned. Its obvious that there’s a portion of fighters that are not content with their pay. Maybe its not the actual pay but the amount of times they are chosen to fight. Certainly White will have some comments this week about the issue.
It’s hard to respect someone who comes out before actually working for a company and rants about the contract he and his management negotiated. To me it is like a person who gets all cleaned up and interviews for a job at McDonalds. They make a good impression and get the job. They say how excited they are to be with the company and then walk out and cry to all the enployees that the pay sucks. What the hell did they expect. It comes with the territory. Unless you work for a decade and bust your ass. Fast food sucks. They knew it when they started. The same is the case for all sports and even more so combat sports. None of these fighters ever made more than peanuts from day one when they started fighting. They knew that very few fighters at the very peak gets paid well in MMA or Boxing.
Quarry says the sponsor tax hasn’t helped sponsors. Well he is wrong. Anyone who has followed the UFC sponsors since it was added knows the quality of sponsors is higher and the pay is much higher. The issue is Quarry lost a sponsor is didnt like it and like all fighters in MMA and Boxing they refuse to do anything to help the sport. Go listen to interviews before the tax and see what some guys were taking from sponsors. The UFC weeded at the cheap skate and low class sponsors to be more appealing to companies with real money. Quarry was never successful to see a difference. But top guys are seeing it and new fighters are seeing it. As a business owner. I would never pay 100k to advertise when others are getting the same advertisement for 500 bucks. I also would want by business being associated with that level of business’.
Go try and find a Nike sponsor before the Tax. You won’t find it. Fighters are getting better sponsorship deals than ever and even being activated in those deals like never before in commercial and high dollar ad campaigns. Something not done a few years ago.
“Quarry says the sponsor tax hasn’t helped sponsors. Well he is wrong. Anyone who has followed the UFC sponsors since it was added knows the quality of sponsors is higher and the pay is much higher. ”
This isn’t true. Sure a few champions have signed some very impressive deals of late, but for the vast majority of fighters that isn’t the case. Numerous fighters have publicly lamented the decrease in sponsor money over the last few years. Behind the scenes, managers have confirmed this. One has to only look at how bare many fighters shorts are to see that they are having trouble filling up their sponsor slots.
Robert Joyner has offered some great insights into what the sponsor tax does and has done http://www.twitlonger.com/show/n_1rl30dv
Hahahahahahahahah! The ULTIMATE Zuffa apologist… “Brainsmasher”.
Lets face it. UFC sucks at paying fighters.
Nobody in the UFC will ever make the top Forbes 100 top paid athletes. Boxing has 4 and is likely to add another 4 within the next year.
Yeah UFC…spend so much money on marketing because the product would not survive without heavy marketing.so the fighters get peanuts….I feel bad for UFC champions they get fame but not the money…….
Sampson Simpson is on the rag today.
How many times have you seen Floyd Mayweather Jr fight in person Sampson? I bet you are Tops neither one has seen him or Pacman fight in person. They make all that money and almost none of the fans who made them wealthy have ever seen them fight live or met them in person. That makes you a fool.
I have been to 7 UFC events in my life. Just 7. None of them were in Vegas or California. These are the fighters I have seen fight in those events. Because the UFC doesn’t make decision based on the greed of fighters. But for the growth of the sport and to please the fans.
Chuck Liddell
Randy Couture x 2
Anderson Silva x 2
Bj Penn x 2
Rich franklin x 3
Matt Hughes
Dan Henderson x 2
Rampage Jackson
Frank Mir
Matt Serra
Andre Arlvoski
Rashad Evans
Frankie Edgar
Kenny Florian
Nate Diaz
tim Sylvia x 2
Lindland
Rizzo
Lytle
Kampman x 2
Babalu
Fitch x 2
Brandon Vera x 2
Stephan Bonnar
Damien Maia x 2
Koscheck
Diego Sanchez
Heath Herring
Nate Marquardt
Gray Maynard x 2
Jim Miller
Gonzaga
Shane Carwin
James Toney
Brainsmasher: kennedy worked for zuffa through strikeforce. You are a took and a fool to even attempt to discredit kennedy through attempting to distort reality.
Tool not took. autoedit was enabled. kennedy is one of zuffas most marketable fighters. white must tread carefully
Kennedy worked for Zuffa while under his original SF deal that he signed under the old SF owners. He has yet to fight a single fight under his Zuffa negotiated deal. He made a fool of himself and that’s why his own teammates have called him out and why he is backtracking his comments. No one with any common sense takes him serious because of his timing. Unless you are a occupy wall street type low life loser. It makes no sense to complain as soon as you signed your name on the contract. He isn’t a child. He knew what he was doing. But fighter pay is in the news and he fell for the peer pressure of complaining and did t think how stupid he would look with zero fights in the UFC.
So if your a fan and you don’t see them live or have met them then you are a fool?hahaha…it just never ends…..brilliant simply brilliant…
.so UFC fans overseas other countries as well as u.s. ufc fans who havent seen it live are all fools?
BS,
Kennedy took the best deal he could in order to continue his chosen career. The deal sucks. Yes, it’s more than he could get anywhere else, but it still sucks. He’s not backtracking on his comments because he said something wrong. He’s backtracking because his manager whispered in his ear that if he didn’t, he would be in Dana’s cross-hairs. He’s not a fool. He’s raising valid and important concerns that go to the core of MMAs future growth. Unfortunately for him, it’s dangerous for his career to raise these points.
No sport that wants to compete with the NFL, the NBA or MLB (as Dana has said he wants to do) can have it’s athletes making such little money. If you want to be the best sport in the world, you need to draw the best talent and that requires paying the best money. The current MMA payscales mean that anyone with a remote chance of playing even a few seasons in a major league sport, would be a fool to go into MMA instead. Even being on an NFL practice squad is probably a better gig. Go into MMA after you wash out of the NFL, but not before. THAT would be foolish.
BS, you’re on the record as someone who wants fighters to be paid as little as possible. It’s a ridiculous position, but you’re welcome to hold it. Don’t be surprised however, if the athletes don’t agree with you and keep agitating for more money. Or if they never go into MMA in the first place.
While it would be nice to see fighters get paid more, this idea that the pay structure is somehow holding them back from being perceived as on the level of the big 3 stick and ball sports is demonstrably false. Casual fans (the vast majority of the fanbase) either aren’t aware or don’t care, and hardcore fans that complain keep purchasing and tuning into the product. While it can be argued that the pay dynamic will keep the best athletes out of MMA, that’s always been the case and the sport has done just fine. Currently, it’s a non-issue from a perception point of view. The negative press is failing to breakthrough the MMA-media bubble.
It’s odd to me that people assume that Zuffa would just pay fighters more money with no impetus in the marketplace to do so. Do any successful businesses do that? There is no CBA and MMA fighters are not employees. What’s the impetus for Zuffa to increase fighter pay? A small segment of vocal fans who have and will continue to purchase the product anyway? Niche media that caters to those same fans?
I’ve heard arguments that if the fighters were all able to train full-time and not worry so much about financial issues, it would lead to better fights overall. This didn’t prove to be true in boxing and it likely wouldn’t prove to be true in MMA either. It might lead to more technical fighters, but it would not necessarily lead to exciting fights, and the increased financial stakes may in fact lead to the opposite effect. I just really don’t see what would motivate Zuffa to pay more at this time.
Did someone really just say Tim Kennedy is one of the UFC’s most marketable fighters?
Holy shit, looks like Sampson is off the hook cause that statement is now officially the dumbest ever made on this site.
Just out of curiosity how is Tim Kennedy one of the UFC most marketable fighters?
He isnt exciting, most fans hate him cause he seems like a dick, he isnt a top fighter, 15-20 at best, hasnt even fought in the UFC yet.
Only thing about him is that he was in the military but he isnt anything close to a guy like Stann, who is actually likable.
interesting survey: does anyone here want to see Kenedys fight more now?
me: no
Ive only seen Mayweather fight three times live and Pacquaio 8 times live.
MORE than worth it each time.
“While it can be argued that the pay dynamic will keep the best athletes out of MMA, that’s always been the case and the sport has done just fine.”
The sport appears to be stalled. It’s not growing as it was in the past. If it keeps doing what it has been doing it will never become one of the top 5 sports (let’s include hockey and NASCAR to be fair). That’s OK with me, but it’s not what Dana claims to be shooting for. If Dana is serious about cracking the top 5 I don’t think paying guys $70k gross / $20k NIBT is going to cut it. Too many guys will pass on the opportunity. Especially in a promotion where every fight is tough.
“What’s the impetus for Zuffa to increase fighter pay?”
Keeping your fighters happy sounds like a good impetus. And drawing more participants into the sport. There are world class wrestlers out there who don’t bother to compete in MMA. It should be a slam dunk that any former Olympian or NCAA champ should be in MMA once they hang up their singlet. Not all will succeed, but the reward should be enticing enough for all of them to try. Ditto jiu jitsu world champions, judo world champions, etc. That means you have to pay them more than they would make coaching wrestling at some jr. college, or opening up their own academy.
“this idea that the pay structure is somehow holding them back from being perceived as on the level of the big 3 stick and ball sports is demonstrably false”
OK, then demonstrate it. The fact is that the UFC is not perceived as one of the big 3. And one of the most glaring differences is the pay scale. I believe more money means more talent, and ultimately that’s what will propel the sport to future growth. I could be wrong, but I don’t see the sport making a jump to the next level by doing what was done in the past.
Tops
Clearly my point went over your head. My point was you guys seem to think. The Boxing pay structure is the way to go and do not think Maywether is over paid. You foolishly root for him to get more and more money as yOu buy PPV’s and he or any other top boxer has never and will never do a damn thing for you or any other fans. He could come to cities all over the country. But he doesn’t because making 50 million is more important than making 40 million and making fans happy. Luckily the UFC is willing to take that hit for the future of the sport and building a larger and happier fan base. Something the fighters would never do on an individual basis. So yes. Supporting something that gives you the fan less entertainment and Paying more and more money. That makes you a fool.
Fighter pay isn’t going to change where the UFC ranks in the big sports. That is silly. The sport has always grower before pay has. That’s because pay has nothing to do with it. If people like the product then the fan base grows and money follows and eventually it gets to the athletes however the fans do not base wether they follow the sport on how much someone makes. Also no one goes into a sport based on pay. People go into what is more popular or what they played as a kid. Noone is goIng to pick the NFL over MMA or the other way around. No one will ever have trained enough in both to have that option. That’s why any NFL player who crossed over had little success. Look at how much MMA has grown since TUF. Thousands of new fighters and promotions popped up. Not because anyone was making money. But because MMA was all of a sudden popular and people wanted to be a part of it
To further show how rediculous this notion is. Boxers make more money then any athlete. How many are choosing to skip the NFL to Box? NOt a single person in any sport because the money doesn’t matter. Only the popularity of the sport and what a person is good at will decide what path they go down.
Profesional martial arts has never had any money in it, never. MMA is no different then kick boxing and every other form of fighting they have tried to sell the public since Bruce Lee. The UFC has maybe 5 fighters that can make a decent living for now. All the others are living fight to fight. Sponsorship if you’re lucky is gas money for your girlfriends car to drive you to the gym, Maybe 3 guys have any real sponsorship, think about it, how much would you pay to have your name on a pair of trunks that no one can see, or on a banner that no one looks at? Its a joke. As more and more fighters leave MMA more will be reviled.
The fighters are happy but like everyone else they always want more. Are you that silly to think paying them more will make them happy? Every decision a boxer makes is about money. It is never enough. NFL and NBA are full of guys who keep holding out and demanding more money. All of it boils Down to ego. Couture recently said he was grateful for the money he made in the UFC and it is always getting better and has changed drastically during his career. He said he only gets upset when he thinks of how much Maywether makes per fight. That’s called being envious and greedy. Other sports players are always trying to get paid more than the last guy. This is a never ending process. You can’t make them happy. When people strive to be successful they tend to not be very content people or they never would be where they are. Average people can’t under stand that. Athletes will never be content and happy with what they have.
Saldatheirf
That is t true. Lots of guys are making good money and not living fight to fight. Even the lowest level guys are getting 25,000 from sponsors per fight. That is hardly gas money. That alone as more than the annual salary for about 1/3 of the households in the US.
Diego,
The primary reason that the sport has stalled has been the UFC’s failure to create new stars. Part of this has to do with their insistence on promoting the brand first, the fighters second, despite name fighters having a clear ability to draw more fans than the brand. Even if the payscale achieved parity and we started to see the world’s best athletes enter the sport on a regular basis, there’s no guarantee that they will become stars. A good deal of drawing audiences to combat sports has to do with compelling stories, and compelling stories need compelling personalities. A lot of elite athletes are not particularly charismatic and do not cut interesting interviews. While an individual with elite-level athletic gifts such as Jon Jones can rise far above his peers in the current landscape, which is the driving force of his stardom, he would likely not enjoy the same dominance if his peers’ athletic abilities could match his own. Therefore, it’s tough to say that the presence of superior athletes would make the sport more popular.
Keeping fighters more “happy” is not necessarily an impetus to pay them more in and of itself. In boxing, the ability to focus solely on fighting has led to increased technical skill, but has not necessarily translated into more exciting fights. When the stakes are raised, it has been shown that many fighters will fight in a more conservative matter since the value of a win outweighs the value of being entertaining. Ideally a fighter wants both things, but if one must be sacrificed, winning tends to be the path that will yield better opportunities in the future. The UFC has consistently sent the message that being an entertaining fighter is just as important as being a winning fighter (within reason – if a fighter absorbs enough losses they will eventually be cut, but an exciting fighter will always have a shorter path back to the promotion). Hungry, and unfortunately, desperate fighters often put on the most exciting fights.
Your point about elite wrestlers is more complicated then you’re letting on. Most elite wrestlers could potentially make far more money in MMA than they could becoming coaches, and certainly more than they can make from international competition, so the pay is likely not the deciding factor in whether or not they choose to make the transition. Olympic hopefuls with a decent chance of making the team will almost always go that route regardless, since they are usually young and it is easier for an older fighter to accomplish things in MMA than it is for them to compete in the Olympics. Other wrestlers may just dislike getting hit. Others may just not have an interest in continuing to compete at an elite level. There are a myriad of reasons I’ve heard wrestlers give as to why they do not want to enter into MMA, and it almost never has to do with the pay.
I demonstrated why the payscale disparity between MMA and the big 3 U.S. sports is not one of the factors that is holding the sport back from being considered as on the level in my original argument: 90%+ of the fanbase either doesn’t know, or doesn’t care about how much the fighters make. I hear all sorts of assumptions being thrown out by casual fans about fighter pay, some way off, some close to reality, but they share a common theme: when I attempt to educate them about the pay dynamic in MMA, they lose interest almost instantly. When the common assumption seems to be that the athletes of the big 3 sports are grossly overpaid, it does not diminish the perception of MMA when fans discover that the fighters’ salaries are much more on par with their own. In fact, from my experience it seems to endear them a bit more to the sport. There have been A LOT of stories about MMA fighters complaining about fighter pay, many of them recent. Do some web searches and you’ll see what I’m talking about: the stories are all run on combat sports sites, and are therefore catering to a small segment of vocal fans who care about the minutiae of the sport. You DO NOT see any of these stories being run by major sports media outlets where they would be seen by enough people to have a tangible influence on the overall fanbase. Know what the #1 MMA site in the world (as far as traffic is concerned) continues to be, year after year? It’s UFC.com. I never visit that site because I know it will not yield impartial and profound perspectives on the sport (do appreciate the writings of Mr. DiSanto, though); however, casual fans do not want those types of stories, they want more traditional sportswriting that gives them the quick points about what happened in competition, and builds a small amount of context as to what significance the match may have had in the overall landscape of the sport. Casual fans just aren’t interested in issues like fighter pay or TRT, which is why those issues do not grace major media sites, and especially don’t make it off the web and onto more traditional print and TV platforms. An issue that the vast majority of the fanbase doesn’t know or doesn’t care about, compounded by the fact that the issue is not causing invested fans who do care about all the aspects of the sport and the surrounding business decisions to boycott the product on any level whatsoever, is not an issue that is preventing the sport from reaching “the next level” from a perception standpoint. It’s just not.
Saldathief,
The UFC generates hundreds of millions of dollars in revenue each year, and has an overall worth of over $1 billion. The idea that “there is no money in it” is demonstrably false based on the plethora of financial metrics for the company. The issue of fighter pay in the UFC is not a matter of the organization not generating enough revenue, but rather how that revenue is distributed amongst the parties involved.
I agree Machiel. I think the sport is just at the time where the way things are is where they have to be. Yes the stars draw more tha the UFC brand. But not without the UFC brand. All PPV buyers are essentially fans of the UFC brand who are waiting for a reason to buy a PPV. The top stars is what gets them in. But it doesn’t diminish that they are still there because the Brand. No fighter in MMA has been able to do it without the Brand. With all the fame of Brock Lesnar. His first MMA fight in K-1 in LA was a disaster. Im sure his fans knew he was fighting. Im sure most Pro wrestling fans knew he was fighting. MMA fans knew he was fighting. But without the UFC brand to lend credibility to the fight. No one really cared and few saw the fight. Yet his next fight in the UFC gets all those people to tune in. The UFC Brand just did the same with Rhonda Rousey. I don’t believe the UFC is holding anyone back to promote their brand. Yes they always are promoting their brand. BUt they are also promoting the fighters. The problem is that the fighters are not clicking with the public and the ones who do click with the public can not win. That’s life in a real unscripted sport. The UFC can try to guide and protect a marketable fighter. But they can only do so much without looking obvious and fans seeing right threw it. Im sure you have also seen people mention Brocks easy road to the belt. They can only do so much and stay credible as a fight sport. In the end it is up to the fighters to perform.
As a die hard fight fan I hate to say this because I like the fighting in the purest form and dis like gimmicks. But the UFC might have to start using some gimmicks in moderation. Every Milestone in UFC history was achieved off the back of a gimmick type fight. The first milestone was when the UFC brought back Ken Shamrock. Now he is a legit fighter. But was honestly not a top guy. But he was carrying a lot of WWE fans since he just come from there. His fued with Tito set records and that popularity spread to the UFC and Tito and a few other fighters. Then the UFC brought in Brock and used his fame and popularity that spread to the UFC and many guys in the HW division. Both were real fighters but there was a little bit of a gimmick aspect the UFC could use. Each time a lot of those people become big fans. the rest eventually leave. TUF is basically a Gimmick and look at the stars it made with Couture and Chuck. IT doesn’t have that appeal any longer but it was effective when it was new. I think the UFC in a way needs to bring in a few guys every now and again, maybe from other sports, to have this effect. Bring their fans and interest in. Make an example of them and they cant hang and a curtain segment of those eyes will become fans.
Unfortunately without doing this. Everything that is done is preaching to the choir. IF you do have a marketable fighter. How can you really get him to the masses? Currently only MMA fans see them. The only way to get them out is some crazy controversy that piggy backs someone elses fame or to do things that gets new eyes to tune in. TUF got new eyes on Chuck and Forrest and people liked it. Brock got new eyes on MMA and people liked it. But this isn’t easy to do. Fans will complain if anyone doesn’t deserve to be in the UFC. To many critics. Like when Chael fought Jones or Bonnar fought Silva. Lots of complains. But those fights are what made the UFC as big as it is. Ken fought for the belt or #1 contender a few times after losing and being washed up. But it was huge for the sport. You cant go over board with this type of fights but every now and again is healthy imo. The UFC doesn’t abuse it imo.
All of this is a complicated issue. With pay, fans need to stop being fanatics and siding with the fighters at ever turn just because they are infatuated with them. It isn’t as simple as people think. That increased fighter pay will come at an expense. Be it the sports expansion, or fans enjoyment level. One has to wonder what type of fans are supporting this. I buy all PPV’s and I attend live events. There fore I am greatly effected by watered down fight cards and increased prices and events that no longer to my part of the country. I guess if I stole every PPV by streaming it and never attended live fights and only a casual fan. I guess then I would blindly side with the fighters as I would be unaffected.
Also it is a myth that fighters are under trained because they cant concentrate of fighting. That is a load of crap. First of all to believe that you have to be oblivious to the fight game and what is going on in the sport. The most important thing in the fight game is athletic ability. That isn’t changed because someone has a job. Second is there is almost no fighters in the UFC that has a job. No, teaching a few classes a week at the gym is not a real job and it certainly doesn’t effect your ability to train.
Here is what it boils down to. IF you do have a real job. It will be very hard for you to ever make it to the UFC. That’s why very few have real jobs. Most fighters today are pursuing MMA right out of school and do not have a job or many responsibilities. They stay with training partners or work at their gym. Guys who do have jobs and make it to the UFC have clearly been able to focus on training just fine to be good enough to win in the lower levels. IF they can do that then they can do it for a 3 fight contract to earn their place and increased pay.
Lets look at Kennedy. Why does he have a second job? It because spent his entire career fighting and never made it to the top. Only buy a merger did he make it to the top promotion. Now he is going on 34 years old and his career is almost over. There is no realistic amount of money the UFC can pay him at this point that would make it wise for him to leave is job. He isn’t never going to make enough in his career to set him for life unless the UFC paid a journeyman millions per fight. He is going to have to work at some point. IF he has a good job. It is best he keep it or he will be fighting into his 40’s like all the old timers. Things didn’t work out in Kennedy’s career and he is trying to drag the UFC through the mud because his own misfortune. This is why he didn’t wait before he fought in the UFC and why he didn’t pay his dues in the UFC. He is bitter over his own failures and took his shot at the UFC while people were still listening. He doesn’t have the confidence in his skills to win a fight or finish a contract first. He knew if he lost. we wouldn’t care.
Everyone of these guys are happy with that they got. When he signed with the UFC he had a big smile on his face. It isn’t until they start wanting what others have that they get greedy.
Dana’s plan regarding the complaints on low fighters pay…..he’s solution:
Dana White threatens to kill UFC fight night bonuses, distribute money to ‘lower-level guys’
In an effort to eliminate the disparity of wealth among his disgruntled fighters, UFC President Dana White and chief executives are considering the elimination of discretionary fight night event bonuses.
Hahaha….sounds like they really can’t afford to pay they’re fighters right….
And he comes out with a threat ……lol….
UFC fighters should call his bluff because it is Dana who wants those bonuses to have exciting fights and he’s threatening to take it all away….
White is the problem. Dude had hundreds of millions and has never fought. Same with most fans. They are unable to comprehend what we go through. These armchair fans who are involved in white or “dana” as they call him and his cult of personality are sick. And all of the apologists on this site lead the way
You dont do shit. Even if you was a fight, which you are not. You still would be full of shit. I have trained wrestling, BJJ, and put the gloves on and sparred boxing while working out in strength and cardio 5 days a week. I was never paid a dime because I did it for fun. So don’t give me shit about what any fighter goes through. Any fighter worth their salt should have been doing it for the love of it all along. Anyone who acts like they are being tourtured are just pussies who need to find another line of work.
you are a poser at best. . I think you and whites cult of personality are just ignorantly can inferr that tims “fun” as you call it costs more than it pays. we are not talking about a lame hobbyist like bs,but someone who has does it as their primary means of breadwinning, and on tv to boot. They definitely need a collective bargainmg agreement. PS:you are weak for not having fought. and dnt tryand backtrack or else u would have admitted to it already.
The people(brainsmasher and white) that are ignorant don’t know what it’s like to have someone. come across the cage and come to put you down. Sparring is not a fight. And I did I for fun. But if it was my job I would want a fair slice of the pie, not th table scraps ufc fighters get. Zuffaa roster was also bloated to create a threat from below so that at anytime you can be fired and replaced.
While at the same time denying talent to smaller orgs. Two birds withu one stone.
Good stories fake ass! I didn’t fight because I had to earn a living. I wasn’t living In a fantasy world that most fighters are in when they choose to fight. The fact is. Most fighters who choose to pursue fighting have no responsibility or use a lot of people to follow a pipe dream.It is just a means to avoid getting a real job. As k Rich Franklin how many of the guys he has let stay in his home while they train have ever went on to make a good living out of fighting or make it to the UFC? I know of 1 soon to be 2 that have made it and know of over a dozen who have more desire than that have skill or talent. So no one is in this for the money and they have the life style they choose. So I do not feel sorry for them. They have avoided responsibility like they have always wanted.
Most of these guys were sleeping In their gym and fighting for nothing just because they choose to do so. Now it is all of a sudden they are mistreated because the UFC doesn’t give them a mansion and a luxury car for their first fight in the UFC.
The fighters are spoiled. Every person in America works to put a roof over their head and food in their belly. Fitch for example thinks his salary shouldn’t go to paying for those things. Listed things like “Nutrition” as a fight related expense. That is a fancy way to bitch because he has to spend his money on food like the rest of us. He then complained because he has to spend his money on rent like the rest of us. Then adds it in like it is a unique fighter expense.
B.s. statement
1.Most Fighters are living in a fantasy world..
2.most fighters who choose to pursue fighting have no responsibility or use a lot of people to follow a pipe dream.it is just a means to avoid getting a real job…..
3.fighters are spoiled…
What? So now b.s. your bashing the fighters? Lol……unbelievable!! The fight game is all about the fighters….so you just watch or a fan of mma because of the UFC brand?because of Dana?
Hahaha
I didn’t bash the fighters as all. Those are truths and if you knew anything about the fight game and trained and fought like you pretend you wouldn’t know that. Ask any fighter and you will see how they got where they are. Living with other fighters or friends or sleeping in the gym. Most don’t have a family or a job. Many will travel around the country to train with a gym and end up staying with someone.
The people who are able to pursue a fighting career are always the ones who have an ideal situation to do so. There are guys in my gym who never went into MMA and are better than the guys who are in the UFC and beat them every day in practice. But they have to good a career to give it up to go fight low level fights for peanuts. Some guys will put off everything and go into fighting. BUt it isn’t a sacrifice. None of them believe their chances of making the UFC is good. So they know they will not make any money and do it anyway. So I don’t look at it as a sacrifice. Any more than someone who chooses not to move on with life and puts their time into another Hobby. That is what MMA is to all fighters when they make that choose to go down that road. A Hobby! We only hear their sob story about how rought they have it when they have their hand out and want something. Just like people in the NBA. They are doing what they always wanted to do. They get to play a sport, a game, for a living. A person can work in a pie factory as a taster and they would still complain about something. Its human nature. That’s why I don’t give a shit about their complaints. They have it better than anyone else and they are not happy. Fact is they will never be happy. I dotn feel sorry for them one bit. Everyone has always knew that only the top few in Combat sports can make a giving and be set for life. They choose that path now they want to be filthy rich just for being a gatekeeper or Bum.
As for me. I am a fight fan. I have followed MMA since 1996. Long before any of the fighters today had ever heard of MMA. So why would I put any single fighter above the sport itself? I am not a fan of other men. I am not 12 years old. I watch to be entertained because I like the sport of MMA. The fighters come and go. Always have and always will.
Looks like Tim got the final word in.