Middle teir fighters retiring early the best form of pay protest

organizations need middle tier fighters to fill their cards, early retirement could become a trend. If the pay remains rubbish for lower end fighters they may not end up with any lower end fighters.

 

Who would want to leave the UFC with all the Reebok payout?

 

I think whether it's admitted or not people like Mein realize that there isn't a solid future in MMA, even at the highest level. What's the league min for other major sports? MMA is NOT huge.

 

Frankie Perez and Jordan Mein apparently.

 

Also, fighters not being active because they aren't being offered fights. The Reebook sponsorship has killed the "independent contractor" part of being an independent contractor.

 

I wouldn't read too much into Mein retiring. Dude is 25 and already a 10 year vet with 39 fights he's prob just worn out and wants to move on

 

Exciting filler guys quitting because there is no more financial reason to fight. Reebok and UFC killing MMA and sodomizing its corpse.

 

This. Better pay will provide a better pipeline of talent, as well as better trained and developed fighters.

 

CM Punk should retire now that he's still undefeated

 

Main is a 10 year vet with 39 fights. He's 3-2 in his last 5 fights with a ton of wear and tear. He's been averaging 4 pro fights a year so it's not like he's struggling to get fights. He likely just realized that his body isn't going to last forever and that he's not going to become a contender any time soon.

And Perez couldn't give a crap about Reebok. He owns 2 of his own businesses and his family owns a business. He said he's now planning to travel the world. It's pretty clear he doesn't need a dime from Reebok or care about the money. Guys like him do MMA for fun, not for the paycheck. Your typical UFC jobber doesn't talk about globe trotting as option B.

Neither of these guys were "middle tier" fighters, they're bottom of the roster jobbers that nobody would give a crap about if they didn't use the word "retire" instead of simply waiting to be cut.

 

why would the UFC care about them quitting?

I don't see it being that great of a protest.

If you want a real protest all the top tier fighters would have to agree to sit out until everyone gets payed better, it won't happen (in a perfect world).

 

Nah I wanna see him get beat down

 

Lower end fighters are a dime a dozen. That's why their pay is low.

 

You know the UFC pays more than ever before, and more than any other org, right? The fact is MMA is not a great career choice for anyone unless you are one of the few who become a big star. At this point as a sport it isn't popular enough and pay hasn't reached a level where it is worthwhile. The Reebok deal is terrible and simply exacerbates the current pay problem.

A guy like Mein who has nearly 40 fights to his name and still hasn't cracked the big time is probably facing up to the fact that he never may and will only suffer more damage to his body as he progresses in his career. If this choice makes him happy, good on him.

 

"Main" is 25. He's smart enough to realize that there is no real money in MMA outside of the top few. UFC and MMA in general pays shit compared to other major sports, that MMA is supposedly on par with.

 

Anderson Silva is 40 and has 40 fights on his record. It's less about the age than about the amount of time you spend in the ring. Mein isn't a 25 year old rookie, he's a guy who's fought more than the vast majority of fighters in the UFC.

Comparing Mein to the typical 25 year old in the UFC is silly.

 

This is a great point (and one I sort of already made), Mein is a true vet despite his age. I'm sure he's worked out after 39 fights just what it will take to get to the top and has decided he either doesn't have it or doesn't want to keep making the necessary sacrifices.

He's good, talented and exciting. But if it isn't worth it to him for whatever reason, well...it's his call.

 

Yeah, that will show them.

 

At the highest level there is massive opportunity. However, for people with any decent skill set, intelligence, or outside opportunity then MMA is a terrible career choice. If you are someone like Chris Leben, then of course MMA is a great career choice because what the hell else is he going to do.

 

Right, because the talent pool of MMA fghters hasn't been growing massively over the last 20 years...