One thing I'd like to point out in regards to fighter pay/financial success

[The Legendary Scarface]

Regardless of what a fighter's pay actually is, once most fighter's are top 10-5 in their respective divisions they have a good number of followers on social media (50k - 200k) and therefore really have no one to blame but themselves if they don't manage to create wealth and multiple streams of long term income with the position they're in.

In today's age, followers == money so everything from subscriptions, merch, affiliate links, blogs, YouTube, etc they all should be capitalizing on. If they don't know exactly how or what to do they can hire social media marketers, content creators, etc.

This is IMO a big reason why some fighters are hurting today, they aren't taking advantage of the following they have.

Tony ,
Brunson,
And
Thiago Santos,
Just to name a few are examples of fighters who aren't superstars or real ppv draws (maybe Tony has a bit of draw but you get my point) but should be making a killing right now.

 

[Sweater of AV]

I've got a wild idea.

How about just increase revenue sharing and pay fighters better regardless of what their ranking is?

 

[Marko Polo]

I've got a wild idea.

How about just increase revenue sharing and pay fighters better regardless of what their ranking is?

 

[SakurabasEar]

I think the UFC needs to pay a minimum of 35-50k. This covers transportation, most camps and other costs on top of being a nice payment for a developing fighter.

If you have to reform the roster to do it then fine. But I'll save my usual rant there

 

[ifindgifsforjackslack]

He’s right, if people are tuning in to watch the Logan brothers find bodies in the forest, I’d pay to watch tony make bodies in the forest to strengthen his shins.

 

[davidlemonparty]

Pretty rough to just expect them to hustle on their own instead of paying them fairly.
The fairest model is a minimum revenue split imo. Fighters as a group get paid from a pool based on a percentage of revenue. Minimum limits as currently in place still apply though. Company does well, fighters get more.
Not a perfect system and there will be faults and issues and imbalance still occuring but at least the company won't be cheating them as badly as now.

 

[MT5]

I'm a lot more sympathetic to the UFC's pay than others but let's put that aside. One of the things I hate most about this great new economy of ours is the demand that you can't expect to figure out something you do well and that is popular, then do it, and expect to sell the product you made for good money (be that a fight, a song, whatever). You're supposed to get famous doing Thing X that you're actually good at and then use that fame to sell clicks or other garbage. If you're good at selling something and want to do it thats fine. More power to ya. But I wouldn't tell a basketball player who was getting paid below his worth to the team "shut up and get a better shoe deal or endorse some other crap on instagram". And I ain't gonna tell a fighter that either. Thats a crap world IMHO.

(Admittedly I'm an old man who has almost no social media and doesn't care much for it.)

 

[Mohawk Banditó]

Want to get money based on popularity? Sponsors should be a great option. Or set up a donation page. Maybe do onlyfans.

Want to make sure your promotion has the best? Then pay the best for being the best. Also, you want to be a promotion? Try.. idk, fucking promoting! What a goddamned foreign concept that must be.

 

[TankAbbott4Eva]

Pretty rough to just expect them to hustle on their own instead of paying them fairly.
The fairest model is a minimum revenue split imo. Fighters as a group get paid from a pool based on a percentage of revenue. Minimum limits as currently in place still apply though. Company does well, fighters get more.
Not a perfect system and there will be faults and issues and imbalance still occuring but at least the company won't be cheating them as badly as now.

The thing is I have heard Dana say they invest money in giving the fighters a platform, it's up to them to use it, they shouldn't look at the actual fighting as their career. I mean Woodley wasn't even a significant draw in the UFC really but he's landed these two Paul fights really based on his association with the UFC brand.

I'm not saying this is right by the way but that's how they make a compelling case for the best available talent.

 

[The Legendary Scarface]

I've got a wild idea.

How about just increase revenue sharing and pay fighters better regardless of what their ranking is?

That's not what this discussion is about though. I agree that fighters should be paid more regardless, but I'm talking about fighter's capitalizing off of the following they have.

 

[Sweater of AV]

That's not what this discussion is about though. I agree that fighters should be paid more regardless, but I'm talking about fighter's capitalizing off of the following they have.

It is part of the discussion. You're talking about the top 5 making money and I'm explaining another option. A much more obvious and general option.

 

[davidlemonparty]

The thing is I have heard Dana say they invest money in giving the fighters a platform, it's up to them to use it, they shouldn't look at the actual fighting as their career. I mean Woodley wasn't even a significant draw in the UFC really but he's landed these two Paul fights really based on his association with the UFC brand.

I'm not saying this is right by the way but that's how they make a compelling case for the best available talent.

That's true, and fair. On the flip, all that platform development work benefits the UFC just as much as the fighters (if not more) so it's not exactly charity from them. The more the fighters self promote, the more they make for the parent company. So I think what's in the UFC control - paying fighters from the money they pull in a fair portion - remains the minimum fair stance.

 

[The Legendary Scarface]

It is part of the discussion. You're talking about the top 5 making money and I'm explaining another option. A much more obvious and general option.

It's not. I'm talking about fighters making money on their own, outside of their fight checks.

 

[Sweater of AV]

It's not. I'm talking about fighters making money on their own, outside of their fight checks.

It is. I'm talking about increasing fighter pay and not focusing on the top 5. You may not like the post, but you'll have to accept that it's there.

 

[The Legendary Scarface]

It is. I'm talking about increasing fighter pay and not focusing on the top 5. You may not like the post, but you'll have to accept that it's there.

How am I supposed to sleep tonight? Take that post down!!!

 

[FIghtxIQ]

Yes fighters should be using the push they get from UFC and build off that. It would be a great way for them to have multiple streams of income and help to build their brand. The most successful self promoters use the push they get and keep compounding that to build more off that initial push. They know they can't expect UFC or whatever promotion to promote them year round. That only happens when they have fights, so it's up to them to self promote the rest of the time.

 

[Sickbro69420]

Regardless of what a fighter's pay actually is, once most fighter's are top 10-5 in their respective divisions they have a good number of followers on social media (50k - 200k) and therefore really have no one to blame but themselves if they don't manage to create wealth and multiple streams of long term income with the position they're in.

In today's age, followers == money so everything from subscriptions, merch, affiliate links, blogs, YouTube, etc they all should be capitalizing on. If they don't know exactly how or what to do they can hire social media marketers, content creators, etc.

This is IMO a big reason why some fighters are hurting today, they aren't taking advantage of the following they have.

Tony ,
Brunson,
And
Thiago Santos,
Just to name a few are examples of fighters who aren't superstars or real ppv draws (maybe Tony has a bit of draw but you get my point) but should be making a killing right now.

Are you willing to elaborate in each division and give multiple examples for where it's successful at least once in each. so that we know that it will work and is possible. This is fr and not an attack and I'm curious where the numbers or proof are. I don't know much about the pay scale or how fighters are supposed to make money and their responsibility to make their money. I just want to see how the system you say works in each division with proof or examples. If you can't provide one for each division. Then leave it blank.

 

[rear naked ankle pick]

Pay them less and then increase their pay in few years to what it is today and they will be grateful

 

[markys00]

I've got a wild idea.

How about just increase revenue sharing and pay fighters better regardless of what their ranking is?

Lol listen to this entrepreneur..

 

[honzo]

Your point may be valid if they could have their own sponsors.
Imagine how much less LeBron, Messi, CR7 etc would get if they couldn't wear their sponsors shoes.