UFC and pay: The Real Problem (it's not Jon Jones)

[HuskySamoan]

You guys are too caught up with your hatred for Jon to even realize this isn't about Jon Jones. Cejudo retired recently and rumor is it largely had to do with pay. Jorge Masvidal is trying his best to leverage a higher guaranteed pay as fighting Usman for a faction or what he made vs Nate doesn't make sense at this point in his career. Jon Jones seeings guys in boxing who generate less numbers and still make 10-20m while hes stucking making 5-8m.

You have contenders like Mousasi, Rory and Bader who were top 5 in their division leaving to Bellator for substantially better pay. You have guys like Eddie Wineland, TJ Grant after recovering from his concussion said it wasn't worth it considering the pay and stayed working in a MINE. Michael McDonald was a full time carpenter while challenging Barao for the world title, I remember the story or the Brazilian fighter being an Uber driver...A lot of UFC fighters have part time and full time jobs since the pay isn't enough to cover their cost of living. Taxes, traveling, managers, agents, training costs etc...Being a fighter isnt cheap, you lose money the first few years getting established and noticed before ever getting decent sponsors or the call from bigger promotions.

If the Ali Act was passed the UFC would be sued for how small of a revenue split they give to their fighters. You guys think this is about Jon Jones? This is arguably the biggest issue in our sport. It effects all fighters big and small. Im glad Jones is standing up to it, even if hes not the best ambassador for the job.

 

[Pierced7681]

UFC isn’t structured like boxing. Boxing has a bunch of promoters who put together ppv events on behalf of the top fighters. The top fighters then take home the majority of the money.

UFC puts on shows using their contracted fighters to help build and promote the UFC brand.
It is like WWE in that respect. MMA isn’t popular, the UFC brand is popular.

 

[BigTruck]

UFC isn’t structured like boxing. Boxing has a bunch of promoters who put together ppv events on behalf of the top fighters. The top fighters then take home the majority of the money.

UFC puts on shows using their contracted fighters to help build and promote the UFC brand.
It is like WWE in that respect. MMA isn’t popular, the UFC brand is popular.

This. People need to realized how boxing promotion vs mma works. They sell a fight card on a single fight and have a ton of backers. They only pay the top guys big money the bottom to middle boxers make about as much as their mma counterparts or even less.

 

[Hellowhosthat]

This. People need to realized how boxing promotion vs mma works. They sell a fight card on a single fight and have a ton of backers. They only pay the top guys big money the bottom to middle boxers make about as much as their mma counterparts or even less.

The guys opening a boxing card make far less than a UFC fighter.

However the flip side to the main eventers getting paid shitloads of money means that they usually pay decent money for people to come in and spar with them.

 

[SpoonyHomie]

The guy who made this post is a casual that doesn't know what he is talking about

 

[You Will Vote For Dreyga]

UFC isn’t structured like boxing. Boxing has a bunch of promoters who put together ppv events on behalf of the top fighters. The top fighters then take home the majority of the money.

UFC puts on shows using their contracted fighters to help build and promote the UFC brand.
It is like WWE in that respect. MMA isn’t popular, the UFC brand is popular.

Thank You... Why do people not understand this?

 

[Pierced7681]

This. People need to realized how boxing promotion vs mma works. They sell a fight card on a single fight and have a ton of backers. They only pay the top guys big money the bottom to middle boxers make about as much as their mma counterparts or even less.

I’d go so far as to say that because of the way the UFC is structured it’s far more fan friendly than boxing. In boxing you rarely see the best fight the best in their primes, and it’s rare you ever get to see a unified heavyweight champ.

Because the UFC operates the way they do, the fans get to see the best fight the best for the only titles that really matter in MMA.

 

[snackgod]

You guys are too caught up with your hatred for Jon to even realize this isn't about Jon Jones. Cejudo retired recently and rumor is it largely had to do with pay. Jorge Masvidal is trying his best to leverage a higher guaranteed pay as fighting Usman for a faction or what he made vs Nate doesn't make sense at this point in his career. Jon Jones seeings guys in boxing who generate less numbers and still make 10-20m while hes stucking making 5-8m.

You have contenders like Mousasi, Rory and Bader who were top 5 in their division leaving to Bellator for substantially better pay. You have guys like Eddie Wineland, TJ Grant after recovering from his concussion said it wasn't worth it considering the pay and stayed working in a MINE. Michael McDonald was a full time carpenter while challenging Barao for the world title, I remember the story or the Brazilian fighter being an Uber driver...A lot of UFC fighters have part time and full time jobs since the pay isn't enough to cover their cost of living. Taxes, traveling, managers, agents, training costs etc...Being a fighter isnt cheap, you lose money the first few years getting established and noticed before ever getting decent sponsors or the call from bigger promotions.

If the Ali Act was passed the UFC would be sued for how small of a revenue split they give to their fighters. You guys think this is about Jon Jones? This is arguably the biggest issue in our sport. It effects all fighters big and small. Im glad Jones is standing up to it, even if hes not the best ambassador for the job.

jon jones using money as a scaopegoat to not move up., jorge ducking usman has nothing to do with money.

also news flash boxing is and always will be 100000 times bigger than mma.

 

[empsim]

The problem is low ranked guys that have to work another job to pay their bills while fighting in the freaking UFC.

People making 10 million a year complaining that they want more can get hit by a truck for all I care.

 

[Beastos]

they should all (current champs), top fighters, get together and retire. It would absolutely make the UFC reevaluate the situation.

 

[Pierced7681]

The problem is low ranked guys that have to work another job to pay their bills while fighting in the freaking UFC.

People making 10 million a year complaining that they want more can get hit by a truck for all I care.

lots of cab drivers in boxing too. If you want a guaranteed 200k salary to start go join wwe and fake it.

 

[Volador]

You guys are too caught up with your hatred for Jon to even realize this isn't about Jon Jones. Cejudo retired recently and rumor is it largely had to do with pay. Jorge Masvidal is trying his best to leverage a higher guaranteed pay as fighting Usman for a faction or what he made vs Nate doesn't make sense at this point in his career. Jon Jones seeings guys in boxing who generate less numbers and still make 10-20m while hes stucking making 5-8m.

You have contenders like Mousasi, Rory and Bader who were top 5 in their division leaving to Bellator for substantially better pay. You have guys like Eddie Wineland, TJ Grant after recovering from his concussion said it wasn't worth it considering the pay and stayed working in a MINE. Michael McDonald was a full time carpenter while challenging Barao for the world title, I remember the story or the Brazilian fighter being an Uber driver...A lot of UFC fighters have part time and full time jobs since the pay isn't enough to cover their cost of living. Taxes, traveling, managers, agents, training costs etc...Being a fighter isnt cheap, you lose money the first few years getting established and noticed before ever getting decent sponsors or the call from bigger promotions.

If the Ali Act was passed the UFC would be sued for how small of a revenue split they give to their fighters. You guys think this is about Jon Jones? This is arguably the biggest issue in our sport. It effects all fighters big and small. Im glad Jones is standing up to it, even if hes not the best ambassador for the job.

I agree and disagree with you.

I have a hard time understanding why fighters don't collectively band together for a fighter's union and try to lobby for legislation, collective bargaining, fairer contracts, ability to negotiate sponsorship deals, etc. It's like the 1% on top make so much money, that they're not willing to leverage their influence in order to do this, and the rest is dreaming of being this 1% or just afraid to lose their jobs.
From the very little I know, the UFC as a league is too unregulated and pays too little of a share of their revenue to their athletes compared to other sports. The whole Reebok deal was a big fuck you to the fighters and unfair. In all this I agree with you, it should change.

On the other hand, I see the Jones thing as a separate issue. He isn't trying to make the UFC treat fighters more fairly in general. He would've signed if they gave him what he wanted.

He comes out of nowhere to campaign for a superfight, and then expects to be paid some exorbitant unrealistic amount upfront, after admitting that he already makes 5m+ a fight, which is more than 99% of the roster. We can conclude that he could've easily negotiated anyhting between 5-10million, but still wanted more.
Fair enough, but he can't act surprised when they won't give him an unprecedented sum for a fight that isn't gonna make unprecedented numbers. It really makes it seem like he wasn't into doing it in the first place. I see it more as his personal beef with the UFC, especially if he never campaigned for a change in pay structure, and especially in the context of the UFC bending the rules in favor of Jones several times and him still bitching about this.

 

[No Mas]

I’d go so far as to say that because of the way the UFC is structured it’s far more fan friendly than boxing. In boxing you rarely see the best fight the best in their primes, and it’s rare you ever get to see a unified heavyweight champ.

Because the UFC operates the way they do, the fans get to see the best fight the best for the only titles that really matter in MMA.

Comparing the boxing talent pool to the mma talent pool is like comparing the NBA to the WNBA.

The majority of the guys in mma are failed athletes from other sports or guys that started MMA in their early to mid 20's.

Very rarely do you see that in boxing, esp at the elite level. You got a few notable HW exceptions like, Norton, Mercer and Marciano where the talent pool was shallower. Compare that to MMA where every second guy was a mechanic or a bouncer.

 

[FireKidWS]

Agreed.

Jones is a terrible ambassador for the sport. His actions inside the octagon with blatant cheating should disqualify him from competing.

However, you have a very valid point that the UFC needs to pay fighters a living wage if they want them to be good.

The UFC is extremely tough to get into, despite Sherdog saying otherwise. Your first fight into the UFC should be 50/50 easily.

Every time you win that should go up at least 25k.

This shouldnt be even disputed.

 

[Pierced7681]

Comparing the boxing talent pool to the mma talent pool is like comparing the NBA to the WNBA.

The majority of the guys in mma are failed athletes from other sports or guys that started MMA in their early to mid 20's.

Very rarely do you see that in boxing, esp at the elite level. You got a few notable HW exceptions like, Norton, Mercer and Marciano where the talent pool was shallower. Compare that to MMA where every second guy was a mechanic or a bouncer.

i dunno it seems to me in MMA you get a lot of guys who wrestled in high school and/or college getting into the sport after school ends. I wouldn’t say collegiate wrestlers are bad athletes, their skill set is very specific. It’s either Olympics or MMA. Boxing from what I’ve seen is more of a sport that caters to low income areas and for troubled youth who need a place to learn how to fight. Because they start at such a young age they hone their craft way faster.

 

[accolyte1022]

These guys don't care about how much you make.

The end.

 

[I'm Shawn Spencer]

People making 10 million a year complaining that they want more can get hit by a truck for all I care.

You gotta understand though, that this money should last them (and their families) for the rest of their lives. Because combat sports athletes retire usually in their late 30's - mid 40's. Once they're done with the sport, are they really gonna go back to school? Are they gonna start a new career that they have no experience in from scratch? Who'd hire them? And that's not even including the brain damage and health issues that will likely arise later in life for these athletes.

So yeah, considering what it is they're doing out there, they really should be making enough in their few years in the sport to support themselves for the rest of their lives.

 

[Dbreiden83080]

The guy who made this post is a casual that doesn't know what he is talking about

Uh actually he made a lot of relevant points.. Maybe you should try and pick it apart.. Save the random comment..

 

[Dbreiden83080]

Comparing the boxing talent pool to the mma talent pool is like comparing the NBA to the WNBA.

Boxing has had tons of cans for 150 years.. Roy Jones was fighting bums for 10 years. Joe Louis used to fight the Bum of the Month Club..

The majority of the guys in mma are failed athletes from other sports or guys that started MMA in their early to mid 20's.

That's Bullshit.. Some of the bigger guys maybe, that wanted to play football. But the smaller guys that are highly skilled and technical spent a lifetime training to be MMA fighters.. Guys like GSP never wanted to be anything other than a UFC Champ..

Very rarely do you see that in boxing, esp at the elite level. You got a few notable HW exceptions like, Norton, Mercer and Marciano where the talent pool was shallower. Compare that to MMA where every second guy was a mechanic or a bouncer.

Boxing has an insane amount of weight classes, where the pool is thin in plenty of areas.. Paulie Jersey Shore won some belts didn't he? Yeah he fucking sucks..

 

[empsim]

You gotta understand though, that this money should last them (and their families) for the rest of their lives. Because combat sports athletes retire usually in their late 30's - mid 40's. Once they're done with the sport, are they really gonna go back to school? Are they gonna start a new career that they have no experience in from scratch? Who'd hire them? And that's not even including the brain damage and health issues that will likely arise later in life for these athletes.

So yeah, considering what it is they're doing out there, they really should be making enough in their few years in the sport to support themselves for the rest of their lives.

And 10 million is not enough for that?