Media Eddie Hearn explains why he's impressed with the UFC's pay model

[Boomb]

I didn't see a "UFC fighter pay" thread in a minute and I thought you guys might be interested in what Hearn has to say, to Sherdog's favourite MMA journalist:

 

[italiamusica]

Almost made a thread about the same thing lol.

I love how Eddie shows how horrible the UFC is about paying fighters, but doesn't word it in a way that comes across aggressive and actually praises the UFC. Because yeah, from a business perspective what they're doing is great, but from a human point of view though it's really shitty.

UFC is supposed to be the NBA/NFL of MMA, but fighters have to work multiple jobs to make ends meet.

 

[Legendary]

As flawed as Hearn is, at least he wants his fighters to get rich.

Dana has publicly said that he hates fighters getting rich.

MMA fighters are literal battered hookers.

 

[Boomb]

I love how Eddie shows how horrible the UFC is about paying fighters, but doesn't word it in a way that comes across aggressive and actually praises the UFC. Because yeah, from a business perspective what they're doing is great, but from a human point of view though it's really shitty.

I don't know if it's because of his british accent but Eddie always comes across as educated and very well spoken.

 

[Legendary]

I don't know if it's because of his british accent but Eddie always comes across as educated and very well spoken.

Because he is. Dana is just a nepo who got his way too many times.

 

[Pancake Sprawl]

you realize this guy and Dana were buds until Zuffa boxing right? lmao

 

[Gamer007]

I find it interesting how the fighters of today were inspired by a generation of fighters who came up in an era of more individuality, personal branding, and UFC promotion. Like the fighters of today were inspired by Jones, Conor, Rousey, Anderson, GSP, etc. But all of them made their name before the reebok deal.


If we just look from 2015 onward, what real stars have even come around in MMA? I'm trying to think of one but I can't, how many of these guys could've sold 800,000 as the main attraction? I guess Usman and Masvidal had that rivalry but that's because Masvidal comes from the Kimbo era and pulled off a one in a million KO. That's never going to happen again, that door has closed and that was the last hurrah from a bygone era.


This generation is being sold a lie, that they can become as big or make as much money as the previous generation, but it's not going to happen. Now you can't even get PPV points? Conor used to make a killing just off PPV points alone, what's the highest recorded base pay in UFC history? 3-5 million?? The UFC is shamelessly trying to build stars now because they have no real ones.

Ilia, Aspinall, O'malley, all these dudes with some hype are going to boxing. It's just a matter of when and how Zuffa Boxing is going to handle former MMA fighters coming over or showing interest.

 

[blunttruth]

Words from a dude who encourages other dudes to fight each other, and then takes a percentage of their money for his encouragement, and encourages them to believe he has their best interest at heart.

 

[Dr Fong]

Words from a dude who encourages other dudes to fight each other, and then takes a percentage of their money for his encouragement, and encourages them to believe he has their best interest at heart.

Hey look, a sanctimonius mong using the pretence of morality to run interference for amorality.

Yes, Hearn is a scumbag like any fight promoter. But he is a better class of scumbag. He is not an absolute bottom feeding piece of shit that beats his wife in public and whose own mother despised him.

Or the Hollywood talent agent who actually runs things and hides behind said piece of shit.

 

[Boomb]

Words from a dude who encourages other dudes to fight each other, and then takes a percentage of their money for his encouragement, and encourages them to believe he has their best interest at heart.

You do realise that boxing is a "combat" sport, right?

 

[italiamusica]

As flawed as Hearn is, at least he wants his fighters to get rich.

Dana has publicly said that he hates fighters getting rich.

MMA fighters are literal battered hookers.

Exactly, Hearn seems genuinely happy when boxers are making a ton of money, because he's still making a lot of money too. Dana is so greedy and narcissistic that he has to take the majority of everything for himself, and then pat himself on the back about how good he is.

 

[blunttruth]

You do realise that boxing is a "combat" sport, right?

Nope, all this time I thought it was a for profit business. Thanks, I will watch closer next time.

 

[blunttruth]

Hey look, a sanctimonius mong using the pretence of morality to run interference for amorality.

Yes, Hearn is a scumbag like any fight promoter. But he is a better class of scumbag. He is not an absolute bottom feeding piece of shit that beats his wife in public and whose own mother despised him.

Or the Hollywood talent agent who actually runs things and hides behind said piece of shit.

Hey look, I am just pointing out that he has a vested$ interest in his words, using the pretense that others with vested$ interests are less moral, as a way to run interference for his morality, is cool, kool, kewl.

 

[Dr Fong]

Hey look, I am just pointing out that he has a vested$ interest in his words, using the pretense that others with vested$ interests are less moral, as a way to run interference for his morality, is cool, kool, kewl.

Yes, scumbag fight promoters will cynically say things that serve their own interests. A profound observation.

It doesn't mean that he is directly equivalent to Dana/Ari. By conflating them, you are running interference.

 

[TriangleMonkey]

Funny he’s doing boxing now

So now when a fighter wanna fight out of the contract and “go box” they can simply fight for peanuts boxing under Zuffa

Check-mate

 

[TheShockmaster]

I don't know if it's because of his british accent but Eddie always comes across as educated and very well spoken.

His Dad was working class, but he grew up rich.

Eddie a lot of the time is full of shit just like a lot of promoters in terms of spinning things to the public, etc. but he pays his fighters fairly and on time. If you're at the level of an Anthony Joshua who also essentially own the show so you're effectively a co-promoter without being named one.

 

[drphil]

I find it interesting how the fighters of today were inspired by a generation of fighters who came up in an era of more individuality, personal branding, and UFC promotion. Like the fighters of today were inspired by Jones, Conor, Rousey, Anderson, GSP, etc. But all of them made their name before the reebok deal.


If we just look from 2015 onward, what real stars have even come around in MMA? I'm trying to think of one but I can't, how many of these guys could've sold 800,000 as the main attraction? I guess Usman and Masvidal had that rivalry but that's because Masvidal comes from the Kimbo era and pulled off a one in a million KO. That's never going to happen again, that door has closed and that was the last hurrah from a bygone era.


This generation is being sold a lie, that they can become as big or make as much money as the previous generation, but it's not going to happen. Now you can't even get PPV points? Conor used to make a killing just off PPV points alone, what's the highest recorded base pay in UFC history? 3-5 million?? The UFC is shamelessly trying to build stars now because they have no real ones.

Ilia, Aspinall, O'malley, all these dudes with some hype are going to boxing. It's just a matter of when and how Zuffa Boxing is going to handle former MMA fighters coming over or showing interest.

Thats because from that point theyve followed the vince mcmahon/wwe model of never pushing someone so hard theyll become bigger than the company..

It came about because wrestlers would become a household name and escape to make movies and vince didnt like that.

Dana doesnt push anyone harder than the product now, even paddy.
Remember its a privelidge to fight for 12k/12k with no health insurance.

 

[Kung Fu Kowboy]

 

[Alpha_T83]

You'll notice Dana said very little about the viewership numbers. He tried to do his "we'll have numbers on Tuesday" line to deflect the question. But the nearly 6M peak viewers number leaked from Paramount+ anyway, and Dana didn't even re-post it on X.

If some fighters start drawing in the 10-20 million viewer range, the UFC will have no choice but to pay them more, or risk them simply refusing to fight. And this becomes like a series of dominos. If the UFC gives Topuria, Jones, Makhachev, Pereira, or Khamzat a 10-20 million purse for one fight (with viewership bonus pay), then other fighters will start demanding salary increases too.

This is actually very dangerous for Dana. He's entering an era where it's impossible for him to control viewership numbers from being released, and likely impossible to prevent UFC stars from demanding and then bragging about $10-20M+ purses.

 

[blunttruth]

Yes, scumbag fight promoters will cynically say things that serve their own interests. A profound observation.

It doesn't mean that he is directly equivalent to Dana/Ari. By conflating them, you are running interference.

Check the previous comments and see that I have not compared, conflated, correlated, or connected this promoter with anyone at all. You have made all the comments to connect, compare and conflate him with others. And to be honest, I didn't even know who you were comparing him with until this thread here. It is best to judge folks by who they are, not by what others say and do.