Media Kevin Lee compares UFC fighter pay to waitress tips at Applebee's

[Tweak896]

The problem with combat sports is how much sports content an athlete provides a year? We're down to the point where guys show up once a year. Could be 10 seconds ko or 15 minutes decision.

Either way you have NFL/NBA/MLB that contribute hours of footage per year per athlete, vs 15 minutes per a fighter.

It's a rougher sport, so no it's unrealistic to have them go fight and make weight every week. But if they fought 3x a year, maybe they could get a bonus.

Everyone brings up the 20% revenue share. So that's about 50k a fighter? 50% is targets so maybe 120k per fight makes everyone happy.

I'm just a fan of the sport and don't want to see UFC go down the boxing route where top guys want so much money they can only get paid by people willing to lose money to make a fight happen. There is never enough money for what athletes think they are worth.

 

[BEATDOWNS]

Well Kevin you had a crack at an at least 50K bonus 21 times but only managed to get it 3 times you also pissed hot and missed weigh two times. Seems like to me you underperformed. Don't forget people tip for the quality of service they are provided.

 

[VinceArch]

Sometimes certain MMA fighters shouldn't have taken this as a career path.

 

[VinceArch]

Hi Khabib!

 

[joy2day]

the thing is, you can't trust it. the easiest way to track it is to see it actually happening, because you'll get freaks like Jon Jones who publicly admit to partying and coking out on fight week because it helps him cope with the chance he might lose, but still go out there and destroy their opponents.

nobody, especially a giant conglomerate like WME/IMG is going to pay for something sight unseen. you must provide the evidence. like i said, the NFL/NBA/MLB all do this. they could do the same as you say too, but they don't because they have billions of dollars invested in their teams, they MUST see the training. having a shit fight could mean anything, injuries, personal problems, etc., but if they get to see you train every day they can at least rule out it's not that you're skipping training.

But my point is they are already paying them for that; it's implicit in what they do. That's what they pay for in the final product. Jon may have done coke the same week or whatever, but to think he hasn't trained very hard to be as good as he is total fallacy.

 

[markg171]

But my point is they are already paying them for that; it's implicit in what they do. That's what they pay for in the final product. Jon may have done coke the same week or whatever, but to think he hasn't trained very hard to be as good as he is total fallacy.

Then why are they often paying more for fighters to fight on short notice without said training?

It's almost like what's paid for is actually making weight and fighting or something.

 

[joy2day]

Fighters like Jones, Mighty Mouse, Tanner, etc., have all openly admitted they learned moves from Youtube/DVDs, and fighters have simply tried something mid-fight and influenced all the fighters who learned that that works from seeing them try it. None of that comes from "official" training and is completely free for them and has helped win countless fights.

They're all welcome to do as much or as little as they want, from whatever source they want, paid or not. The entire point of MMA was to remove the rigidity of other combat sports and simply see whatever any fighter wanted to do to try and win.

Yeah, except again the very best do actually train super hard for many years to have the skills they possess. I agree in the sense that MMA allows for more creativity because you have far more different techniques to work with; there is also more of a chance something creative will work because MMA is still new and has untested waters. It does NOT change that elite skills take incredible work and training.

 

[joy2day]

Then why are they often paying more for fighters to fight on short notice without said training?

It's almost like what's paid for is actually making weight and fighting or something.

That's 100% another issue. That's for money when they are desperate to fill a card. The UFC is getting what they pay for in an untrained athlete in that situation (or less trained because of the timeframe). That's a different expectation than a fight signed 6 months ahead of time.

 

[cburm]

A lot of hate.. and people wanting to see others suffer.. if the work is easy and you get to be home and it's the best ever go do it yourself

I read something like a fighter making 60k per fight 3 fights per year is only bringing home 70k a year.. after taxes fees camps maybe less and the avg fighter is getting 14k to 40k per 3 fights a year if you're a top 5 you're lucky to get 125k and 3 fights a year..

Popular champs take 500k +per fight and ppv points 155 pounds+ under that it's 125k to 250k..

Women's pay. Is lower.

Kevin made it big and was in the top 5.

You'd think he'd be compensated well ..

But only you're fan base matters

 

[YSB]

Yeah, his fighter pay might be comparable. Who's he ever beaten?

 

[volcom5]

I’m all for upping fighter pay, but it’s always always fighters who never made it who complains. From the Karen Johnson’s to the Kevin Lee.

 

[TITS]

 

[Brigfa2]

And he wants to come back to the UFC for that juicy waitress tips

 

[LostMyBlackBelt]

lmao maybe in sf or some progressive shithole

Red states are fatter, less educated, make much less, and die earlier.

 

[duke_droese]

MMA Fighters should have patreons etc to get some tips as they get paid way less than their stardom and effort deserves.

Dana will find a way to tax 82% of that as well though.

 

[italiamusica]

It's honestly at the point where if anyone thinks the UFC is fair with pay, then they're just shills. The UFC is only about making Dana and his friends rich and that's it, I bet they have parties LAUGHING about all these fighters literally killing themselves so Dana can have snow in Las Vegas. It's embarrassing.

Every other "professional" sport pays their athletes enough so they don't have to work a second job at Uber, yet it's impossible for the UFC to do that? It's beyond fucked up. It embodies the American mindset these days: get the bag BY ANY MEANS NECESSARY. Fuck everyone over so you can be rich.

 

[Urluberluu]

yea but at leats we get the best fighters fighting each other
In boxing they have good money but the best don't fight each others

 

[Mohawk Banditó]

Yeah, his fighter pay might be comparable. Who's he ever beaten?

I’m all for upping fighter pay, but it’s always always fighters who never made it who complains. From the Karen Johnson’s to the Kevin Lee.

He fought for the interim championship

 

[chinarice]

If you're a complete asshole and planning never to return to the same restaurant, maybe. Or perhaps you like the taste of piss in your food?

Yeah the restaurant industry is nothing but toxicity with shit employers convincing their dumb waiters and waitresses that its the customer's fault they don't make enough money. Get a better job if you don't like they money you're making. Customers could just not go and guess what happens to your job? You don't have it.

This mindset of customers owe you something is fucking retarded

 

[svmr_db]

It costs me $10 a month to watch all NBA games... and those guys are making $60M a year with about $1Million being the minimum for a rookie.

The UFC costs like $80 a month, but the top guys make $500k before bonuses

Apples and oranges, you just compared what the top NBA guys make in a full season to what an MMA fighter makes in one night lol.