Angela "Overkill" Hill: won her UFC debut; now working as a security guard to get by.

or the division is a joke

it's existed for like a month and has the whole cast of a TUF season + a handful of other women that have not been fighting for very long, and the top 10 contains a 3-2 fighter, a 4-3 fighter and a 7-4 fighter

right now, it is
 
IMO the big difference between Olympic athletes, Actors etc versus UFC fighters is that the fighters are actually employed by an organisation.

I spent a big portion of my youth training for the 400m in track. You make zero dollars until you're an olympic medallist. You can't complain because it's something you want to do.

That was years ago. Recently I spent over a year developing and producing an independent feature. It's time and effort but it's with zero. The pay off down the line may be huge
 
But my point is that it was my choice to pursue my dream, just as it's a fighters choice to pursue theirs. I know it's highly unlikely I'll ever earn much money, and I knew that going in. Of course, there's potential to make a fuck load of money, just like there is with fighters, but probably less that 1% of actors worldwide ever see any significant money. Same with fighters.

If money was my goal, I could've pursued a career that would earn me much more, but I made a different choice. So, for me to bitch about how much work I'm getting, or how much money I'm earning, would feel wrong. And I think it's the same for fighters. They made the choice to be a fighter. One of the ramifications of that choice is that it's pretty likely they'll never make much money.

If they want to make a lot of money, they should choose a different career. I'd say the same to any athlete/artist.

If you want to compare the situation between actors and UFC fighters, then you should look back to the days of the big studios, when actors signed contracts to be studio actors.

If you had a contract with MGM, you could only do acting for MGM (unless they gave you special permission). If you had such a contract with MGM, that forbade you to take other acting jobs, don't you think you should at least be able to get by on what that contract paid you without waiting on tables to supplement your income?

Well, UFC contracts limit fighters to only fighting for the UFC. It is like being a studio actor.
 
Guess what Mark. I can take on a second job but I'm not allowed to take one in the financial sector. This is normal. No business wants to employee you while you compete with them.

Are you being paid enough to not have to get a second job? Then you dont have a problem. Lol not to mention, does your job stop you from coming to work? Do they pick and choose when to pay you? Do you not get paid for months at a time while you are practically begging for work? Quite the difference.
 
16k - taxes and gym fee's = About 10k for 3 months work.

= Around $800 per week.

Not sure about the states but thats around $200 below minimum wage in Australia.

Of course it's the life you choose but at least minimum wage right lol...

Minimum wage in Australia isn't $1000 a week lol. How could you even think that?
 
For a UFC fighter however they have done the 'theatre' level acting. They've done the years of training to get to the 'Olympics' - For them they've made it. The UFC is the big show. They should be getting at least the bare minimum to dedicate themselves to the workplace with which they are employed.

We can't make blanket statements like this. Every situation is different.

Having Angela as the poster child for this is horrible because she was 1-0 before the UFC signed her.

One of the main problems here is also that people make the blanket statement "UFC fighter".

All spots on the card are not equal. The UFC is the amateurs, minors and majors all rolled up into 1 show. The first couple fights are the minors, the middle of the card is the minors and most of the main card is the majors. All the fighters in those 3 various spots of fame/career do not deserve the same prize.
 
You don't know what you are talking about. Acting is a tough profession because very few can earn the big money. I promise you that any actor at the level in their profession where Hill is in hers would need a second job to eat.

The SAG minimum pay scale for a performer on a weekly tv show is $2,207 per week. Or you could go by the day rate which is $859 per day. That's the MINIMUM. Hill would be able to eat off that easily from TUF alone.

Keep in mind she's ranked in the top 15, which should not be a minimum level job unless youre talking about a dipshit production.
 
Are you being paid enough to not have to get a second job? Then you dont have a problem. Lol not to mention, does your job stop you from coming to work? Do they pick and choose when to pay you? Do you not get paid for months at a time while you are practically begging for work? Quite the difference.

When someone is under contract with the UFC, the UFC has to offer them 3 fights a year....if they don't, then the fighter is paid whether they fought or not.

Angela fought 4 weeks ago. Its not like the UFC hasn't given her a fight in 8 months.
 
His acting as comparable to angela being the first fight on a ufc card, would be him eating in the background at the diner in a Seinfeld episode.

The show wasn't about him, nobody noticed him, and no one bought a ticket to see him.

I don't think the comparison would be an extra... but it's pretty close.

I think an apt acting comparison would be getting a very small role in an episode of Seinfeld. Yes, I'm appearing in the "big game", on national tv, but as you say, no one (aside from my family and friends) gives a flying fuck that I'm there.

I'll get paid for my troubles, but the biggest bonus for me is simply the opportunity and increased visibility.

Right now, Hill is a prelim fighter. No one (aside from friends and family) is buy a ticket or PPV to see her, however, she's getting the opportunity to get her name and face out there, increase her experience and therefore increase her earning power down the line.


But I think I should bow out of this thread. I've already said that UFC fighters should get paid better than they do (at least well enough to pay rent/eat without a second job) but I seem to be confusing matters by trying to compare my experience of poncing around on stage saying other people's words with the experience of high level athletes getting their shit kicked in for money.
 
However, I still think that if they're really not that happy with the compensation, they can always quit and go get a job. Just like I can.

But they won't, because it's their passion and they're chasing a dream. Just like I am.

My point, however, is that we as consumers shouldn't be happy with the fighters' compensation, because we, as an audienbce, are getting inferior product when fighters can't focus on training without the distractions of a second job. See the difference? It isn't just about fighters chasing their dream. It is about the UFC, which is supposed to be the pinnacle, the BIG SHOW, giving us high quality fights where the fighters will have trained optimally. Isn't this what the pinnacle organization should be doing?
 
Are you being paid enough to not have to get a second job? Then you dont have a problem. Lol not to mention, does your job stop you from coming to work? Do they pick and choose when to pay you? Do you not get paid for months at a time while you are practically begging for work? Quite the difference.

No, I picked a career with a lower upside but more work stability. Pay wasn't great to start and I earned my way to better spots.

I should also say that I would have liked to do something else in the arts but I wasn't willing to accept almost no pay for a lot of work coming up. Fighters can choose to pursue their passion or they can choose other avenues if they want just one job and stability.

I made my choice, she is making hers and that's how life is.
 
A prelim fighter is like a McDonalds employee. At McDonalds, all of the employees do the same for the company. It doesn't take much to fill the job. Now every floor at McD's is made up of career burger flippers as well as up and coming high school and college students meant for more. Just because they are meant for more however doesn't mean McD's gets more from them in their current station.

Nobody cares about th prelim fighters, they just want a fight. The supply of people willing to take that fight is high. For the consumer, it's just a burger. People consume that particular burger because of the brand, not because of the chef just like stuffing your face at McD's.

Absolutely not, like 80% of the population is qualified and capable of being a McDonalds employee. Around 1% of the population is qualified to perform at a UFC caliber level. However, Zuffa treat their lower level talent like McDonalds employees. They know that if somebody doesn't jump as high as they want, that they can find somebody else that's willing to. All they need is 24 fighters per event.

The UFC minimum should be 15k with a 5k bonus for winning a decision and 15k bonus for a stoppage. There's no way the UFC can't afford to. Reebok? baby, you need to try new things...
 
Keep in mind she's ranked in the top 15, which should not be a minimum level job

the ufc has 23 fighters in that division, she is ranked 14th, she is barely average
 
Angela Hill 1-0 in UFC = $16k

Nate Diaz 20 fights in UFC = $16k

Lets all rally behind Hill she's getting screwed!!!!
 
The SAG minimum pay scale for a performer on a weekly tv show is $2,207 per week. Or you could go by the day rate which is $859 per day. That's the MINIMUM. Hill would be able to eat off that easily from TUF alone.

Keep in mind she's ranked in the top 15, which should not be a minimum level job unless youre talking about a dipshit production.
The top 15 of a previously nonexistent division that nobody cares about. It is clearly a dip shit job at this point in history.

$859 per day? She got 16k for her one day fight. It's the gap in between for these professions that make it tough for those that are very replaceable without affecting the final production.
 
.

Oh, and Yolandabecool, nice work developing and producing a indie feature. I know first hand how fucking difficult that is. Developing your own work is a goddamn slog, but there's very little work out there that's more rewarding.

I always assumed you were a film guy, with that nickname.

It's pretty difficult with todays digital boom. There is so much content that it's tough to get seen.

Even if you made an indie film to the level of El Mariachi by Robert Rodriguez in todays market it would still be difficult to make waves.

Getting paid isn't the biggest deal if you enjoy it though. LoL.
 
My point, however, is that we as consumers shouldn't be happy with the fighters' compensation, because we, as an audienbce, are getting inferior product when fighters can't focus on training without the distractions of a second job. See the difference? It isn't just about fighters chasing their dream. It is about the UFC, which is supposed to be the pinnacle, the BIG SHOW, giving us high quality fights where the fighters will have trained optimally. Isn't this what the pinnacle organization should be doing?

I've said it multiple times already, but perhaps not specifically to you, so...

I agree. UFC fighters should be paid more money. It's the highest level of the sport, and the pay should reflect that.

However, let's also be real. Angela Hill is 2-0 in her pro career. Both fights came in 2014.

So, she's being doing this professionally for less than a year and she's already in the UFC earning thousands of dollars per fight, and she's been featured in an international reality tv show.

Do you know how many fighters out there would KILL for that opportunity so early in their careers? How many fighters are out there with MUCH better records, that have been fighting in lower tier orgs for years, and are still fighting for much less money than Hill?

Really, Hill should be thanking her lucky stars that only a year in to her career, she's made it this far. Most fighters would be training, fighting and working a shitty job for YEARS longer than she has.

Hill is the not the best example to be using here. Nate Diaz would be a much better example.


I also agree with this guy...

No, I picked a career with a lower upside but more work stability. Pay wasn't great to start and I earned my way to better spots.

I should also say that I would have liked to do something else in the arts but I wasn't willing to accept almost no pay for a lot of work coming up. Fighters can choose to pursue their passion or they can choose other avenues if they want just one job and stability.

I made my choice, she is making hers and that's how life is.

I made the opposite choice (art before money), and I'm living with it. Just as a fighter should. Or an accountant.
 
Last edited:
Absolutely not, like 80% of the population is qualified and capable of being a McDonalds employee. Around 1% of the population is qualified to perform at a UFC caliber level. However, Zuffa treat their lower level talent like McDonalds employees. They know that if somebody doesn't jump as high as they want, that they can find somebody else that's willing to. All they need is 24 fighters per event.

The UFC minimum should be 15k with a 5k bonus for winning a decision and 15k bonus for a stoppage. There's no way the UFC can't afford to. Reebok? baby, you need to try new things...

Except McDonalds serves billions. The UFC puts on only about 300-500 fights per year. The supply of workers compared to the demand for them makes the lowest tier similarly replaceable.
 
I liked ver fight a lot. I think her security guard days will be over soon.
 
the ufc has 23 fighters in that division, she is ranked 14th, she is barely average

Just barely average in the pinnacle organization in all of professional MMA. That should be worth not having to supplement one's income as a security guard.
 
Back
Top