Penn State collegiate wrestler Ed Ruth has signed with Bellator. A reason that the MMA prospect decided to go with the Viacom-owned company instead of the UFC is due to the recent changes in sponsorship policy.
Ruth told Tristen Critchfield of Sherdog he felt that he could obtain more sponsorship money than the entry level $2,500 he would receive with the UFC.
In a recent interview, Scott Coker was neutral about the UFC-Reebok sponsorship deal and the pay tiers even though he acknowledged that he’s been contacted by UFC fighters and managers about Bellator’s sponsorship policy. The announcement of the Reebok sponsors pay tiers have caused many to criticize the new structure and UFC fight managers have called a meeting to discuss the business of the sport as a result.
Ruth is a 3-time NCAA champion and a prime candidate for the 2016 Olympics per Bloody Elbow. He served as Jon Jones’ training partner leading up to UFC 182.
Payout Perspective:
There’s no public certainty that the UFC was actively recruiting Ruth so we do not know if there was some sort of bidding war for his services. Still, this is a good prospect acquisition by Bellator as it has done this in the past with amateur wrestlers Aaron Pico and Bubba Jenkins. However, the additional news that Ruth chose Bellator over the UFC due to the new sponsorship policy brings up the question of whether more fighters will consider Bellator over the UFC. The other question is whether sponsors will pay the same in Bellator as it has done in the UFC. The fact remains that reported Bellator pay is lower than UFC pay. If Ruth believes he can make up that monetary disparity through sponsors, then the risk is worth it. Ruth alluded to the fact that based on his background, he can make more with sponsors than just the initial $2,500. One might suspect that his amateur wrestling ties may help with obtaining sponsors.
tops E says
Hahahaha…cheapie promotion
saldathief says
If he wasn’t a wrestler I would advise him to try boxing bahahahaha
d says
Boxing???? He’d get paid more coaching wrestling than boxing. Boxers can’t pay their rent. HAHAHAHA!!
tops E says
Boxing is where the money’s at…..hahaha
d says
If that’s the case, why are they nearly all on welfare?
FightFan says
I don’t have a problem with entry level/ Journeymen fighters earning small purses, you get paid what your worth. If no one is showing up to see you fight, you don’t deserve to make the coin.In boxing you get paid what your worth, in MMA for some reason they’ve decided the promotion is always taking he lions share. When you have a guy like GSP selling the way he was, he should be making comparable money to Floyd/Manny. Instead he’s blown his knee out, been knocked the fuck out and Dana White laughed his ass off to the bank, if a boxer/mma fighter ends up with nothing its all on them, they chose to fight and if it didnt workout they knew the consequences.