Media Stephen Thompson admits he will be "disappointed" if the UFC does not pay him for UFC 291

[Pakman]

not paying Wonderboy would be a real shitbag move.

So, considering Dana still is in charge, that is what I expect them to do.

 

[theleerygoose]

They’ll pay him. It should be automatic that they pay fighters show money if they show up and their opponent falls out.

 

[TheTribalQueef]

The man's 40 years old and doesn't have many fights left. Pay him.

 

[wildchild88]

Show money means showing up in the Octagon and fighting. Not the weigh in.

He had to train his ass off for weeks you good, for nothing?

 

[sdpdude9]

If you were building a house and you got together all the plans, all the permits, all the contractors, all the materials, and were completely ready to go, but then the house never actually got built, should you still expect to get paid? You put in all that work and "did your part," but you didn't actually fulfill your contract. The house isn't built, regardless of how much preparation was involved.

It’s more like you were hired by somebody, did all that, then the day before you’re supposed to start you find out the electricians hired by the employer didn’t do what they were supposed to do now the house isn’t gonna be built. So you get paid nothing for the work you did and lose the job because somebody else failed to fulfill their obligations. That’s scummy shit.

 

[rjmbrd]

Wonderboy pulled out last minute.

This is flat out untrue.

Wonderboy had a signed bout agreement to fight at 171lbs. His opponent failed to make weight, thus unable to perform his end of the contract.

In order for the fight to continue, the UFC needs to get Wonderboy to sign a NEW bout agreement for a catch-weight. The UFC failed to get the deal done.

Absolutely no surprise that U Fight Cheap didn't open the checkbook to make the fight continue. How else do you think they have fighter revenue share down to a record low of ~15%?

 

[markg171]

This is flat out untrue.

Wonderboy had a signed bout agreement to fight at 171lbs. His opponent failed to make weight, thus unable to perform his end of the contract.

In order for the fight to continue, the UFC needs to get Wonderboy to sign a NEW bout agreement for a catch-weight. The UFC failed to get the deal done.

Absolutely no surprise that U Fight Cheap didn't open the checkbook to make the fight continue. How else do you think they have fighter revenue share down to a record low of ~15%?

This is a lot of paragraphs to say that Wonderboy chose not to fight and never in fact did fight.

So remind me again how he's owed his purse?

 

[markg171]

He had to train his ass off for weeks you good, for nothing?

Yes. The contracts clearly state their purses are paid for the bout. Not for what happens before.

It's, you know, how they're able to also pay guys who fight last minute. Gee, wonder how they're able to do that if they're paying for training camps and what not this guy didn't have them?

It's almost like, again per the contract, they're paid for the bout itself.

 

[Fight Professor]

Show money means showing up in the Octagon and fighting. Not the weigh in.

I can understand getting show money if the fighter who did not make the weight does not show up, like Khabib against Tony. But if you decline the fight, wait until the next fight. They should be able to re-book him quickly.

 

[wildchild88]

Yes. The contracts clearly state their purses are paid for the bout. Not for what happens before.

It's, you know, how they're able to also pay guys who fight last minute. Gee, wonder how they're able to do that if they're paying for training camps and what not this guy didn't have them?

It's almost like, again per the contract, they're paid for the bout itself.

Generally if you're hiring an independent contractor, and months of work / resources go into delivering for an event, and said event is cancelled, the contractor will be paid at least part of their fee.

 

[Poirierfan]

I watched the interview with Ariel in it's entirety. More fighters that have money and can afford to turn down fighters that miss weight should do like Steven. Wonderboy has had right at 100 fights total and has never once missed weight. Fuck people who think they can gain an advantage by not cutting. This shit needs to stop.

Also, there needs to be something in black and white on how much you're gonna get paid if you do everything right. It's all bullshit, the UFC is the judge, jury, and the executioner.

 

[Barteh]

It's crazy that something like this is up for discussion and not just part of the standard contract. Personally I feel like getting 50% of the show money paid in this scenario and then getting a new fight booked for a date within 2 weeks - 2 months is the fairest scenario.

 

[ryun253]

He asked match ups against stand up fighters, UFC gave him an opponent that has no take down threat and still didn’t fight. UFC going to give him a wrestler now

 

[wildchild88]

I watched the interview with Ariel in it's entirety. More fighters that have money and can afford to turn down fighters that miss weight should do like Steven. Wonderboy has had right at 100 fights total and has never once missed weight. Fuck people who think they can gain an advantage by not cutting. This shit needs to stop.

Also, there needs to be something in black and white on how much you're gonna get paid if you do everything right. It's all bullshit, the UFC is the judge, jury, and the executioner.

A-men.

The other thing is that Wonderboy is basically a combat sports celeb.

He could have been spending this time on promotional duties, making videos or working as a presenter. If he doesn't have any type of assurance to get paid for fully preparing for a fight, then he should consider not signing.

UFC can't waste his time for nothing like this, it's just not in line with business standards in OECD countries, it's draconian.

 

[Mmmmmmma1234]

Let me get this straight.

So basically you spend thousands of dollars of your own money on coaches/training camp and the only way you can get paid is if you accept to fight someone who just cheated the scales? That's fucked up lol

Isn't there like a base amount that he gets since he did make weight and doesn't want to fight someone with an illegal advantage?

so you wanna be an Ultimate Fighter

 

[Kryptt]

 

[NoSmilez]

Wonderboy is in a weird spot. He denied this fight because he has championship aspirations but he also doesn't want to fight grapplers. There aren't many other strikers in the division. I am assuming they will give him a fight and it's going to be against a killer. The promotion isn't going to reward him for playing hardball even though he has every right to deny that fight with Michel.

 

[Mmmmmmma1234]

I'm not taking either side, just asking a question...

I know the weight limit is contracted, what do the contracts say specifically about a missed weight scenario? Does it get into the purse fines and the opponent's rights to pull out at all, or are those controlled somewhere outside the contract, like by the commission?

So many guys don't pull out of fights when their opponent misses weight, has me wondering what the verbiage is.

It's not addressed in the contract because they're signing a contract to make weight then fight. So when a fighter misses weight the contract is just voided and the UFC guarantees nothing by design so they can get a new contract signed quickly at the heavy fighter's weight of catchweight the percentage taken is all up to the UFC and fighters.

 

[markg171]

Generally if you're hiring an independent contractor, and months of work / resources go into delivering for an event, and said event is cancelled, the contractor will be paid at least part of their fee.

How fighters prepare for their bouts is entirely up to them. They're free to train as much or as little as they want.

 

[markg171]

Next you'll tell me that they're also not entitled to the percentage of the overweight fighter's purse unless they, you know, actually fight them.

Shocking that fighters get paid the way they've always been paid.