Which fighters knew how to make a living after retirement?

[neverwas]

so if I've got this right,most mma fighters end up broke, addicted or in jail,isn't that just like virtually every professional sportsmen? especially in combat sports.

 

[barillas]

brain damage and blown knees more like it, but from my understanding they are excellent bjj teachers, so I can imagine many people with money to burn would come to them.

The nogs have various business outside of fighting

 

[Mikedh]

GSP, Couture & Gina went to Hollywood.
Most of them coach somewhere.
other find a job with the ufc or other Org.
but still too many end broke, in jail or with addiction problem. sad

None of them make significant money in acting. Couture is still suckling the MMA teet with his gym and Viacom deal. GSP made too much to lose it all yet.

 

[barillas]

Bob Sapp

Bob would fight me in my backyard if I gave him lunch, and he would probably lose.

 

[agibmxmma]

Combat sports is not for you if your first priority is to be rich. Trust me. If someone doesn't fuck you over along the way... the UFC will be there to do it at the end.

Cariaso (owns two gyms), Koscheck (owns multiple properties, planes, toys, etc..), Hughes (owns multiple properties, toys), Franklin (business man), Stann (tv commentator), Liddell (owns multiple properties, toys, business man), Cro Cop (politician) are just a few of the guys I can think of, off the top of my head that are doing pretty well financially, mentally and socially since fighting under Zuffa and for Zuffa.

Combat Sports is not for those who see wealth, but just like in life, a little direction with money management can a long way in the end. One can only get screwed if they bend over and take it. If done right, Combat Sports Athletes of yesterday and today have proven they can be the highest paid athletes in sports.

 

[Roljo]

probably the best these average-good 'but not top) fighters can hope for is an analyst job for fox or some other channel or maybe podcasting; other than that they will have to go back to their everyday job they probably had in their beginnings.

 

[KONG-D'SNT-TAP]

Chael Patrick Sonnen.

Wasn't he charged with criminal activity.

 

[KingOfThePikeys]

Guys who transitioned into journalism and commentating, like Brian Stann and Kenny Florian. Guys who start successful gyms. Faber is still fighting, but I have a feeling he will be just fine when he retires. Guys who wrote books and still manage to stay somewhat in the limelight like Matt Hughes and Chuck Liddell. Those who transitioned into movies, even if they're B level movies or minor roles they still make good money. Gina is a good example. Randy is another.

 

[chiefwiggum]

James Krause is doing just fine apart from fighting. I think at this point he just fights because he loves the sport. Owns his gym now, owns a couple of franchises... Pretty sure he has other shit going on the side as well. Wife is a nurse. Tbh feel selfish watching him fight at this point, just knowing he can make more money by not getting hit for a living.

What's up James Krause! Big fan!

 

[giusti825]

If you don't make enough money to make sustainable investments after your career, retirement wont be kind to you.

 

[Which Doctor]

Bob would fight me in my backyard if I gave him lunch, and he would probably lose.

You're thinking of Coleman, or maybe Abbott.

Bob is on a win streak and banking that Yen.

 

[Sgt Smith]

Cung Le seems to do pretty well scoring some decent roles in movies.

 

[Mikedh]

Cung Le seems to do pretty well scoring some decent roles in movies.

He had a few bit parts in ensemble roles with lower budgets and spent his own money producing direct to DVD stuff that no one saw so he could get lead credits.

People on here overrate how much people in entertainment make. There are many actors people view as stars that would be broke if they stopped working, same with athletes, it's just their bodies don't have to hold up as much (unless you are an actress who has the gull to work beyond their 30th birthday).

 

[markg171]

Can't believe no one's mentioned Forrest. Even before he got that make believe position with the UFC where they just use him as their volunteer/charity spokesperson (something he was doing on his own before he retired actually - he's big on volunteering and helping out), the guy was set. He still drives that free car he won with TUF 1 because he's just hoarded all the boatloads of money he made over his career from fighting, books, sponsorships, gigs, etc.

"If you asked me today what my dream job is, it'd be to be a UFC fighter. That's what I want to be when I grow up. Nothing will ever take that place.

"But it's just not physically possible. You have to move on with your life at some point. You don't quit fighting, fighting quits you at some point. It's very unfortunate, but that's the nature of the beast. And that's one of those things, too, that I like to tell young fighters. Have a backup plan. When you're walking into the cage, on that day, on that week, you're a world champion. You're Anderson Silva. You're going to retire from the UFC as a champion and have plenty of money. Fine. But when you get your check and you go to the bank, start to think like Forrest Griffin. What am I going to be doing in five years? Is it realistically going to be fighting? This is not a forever job. This is a young man's game, and at 36, I'm already done. Everybody thinks they're going to be Dan Henderson. You're not."

"I think if you've fought more than three fights in the UFC and you're not financially ahead, you're either doing something wrong or you just need to quit. Your first two fights, your first two camps, yeah, you're going to maybe even go into debt on those. But if you're had two or three wins and you're still not finding ways to get financially ahead, you might just do something else.

"Realistically, if you're doing it right, you should have time during a camp or during life to engage and learn another skillset. An occupational therapist, a physical therapist, an MRI tech. It'll never be as great as fighting, realistically. I wouldn't tell somebody who's 22, hey, it's just as good of a job. Checking people into the hospital [instead of] fighting, it's going to feel the exact same. Nothing is going to feel like again. But it's going to feel better than looking around and wondering, okay, what do I do now?"

http://www.mmafighting.com/2013/12/...retirement-mmas-judging-problems-and-why-some

 

[honzo]

There's the obvious ones like: Lidell, Sonnen, Couture, Stan, Florian etc, they got a job in the industry in one way or another but that obviously cannot apply to everyone.
I think unless you're a juggernaut like McGregor (who still has side projects) you have to be working on something during your fighting career, if you look at Carwin, Sonnen (again), Kennedy etc, they continued to have side projects throughout their career.
I think this is the way forward, look at Mendes and even Aldo, they are surely millionaires but have started their own businesses.
I can't see the Diaz brothers being too successful once their careers are over

 

[lifelessheap]

GSP, Couture & Gina went to Hollywood.
Most of them coach somewhere.
other find a job with the ufc or other Org.
but still too many end broke, in jail or with addiction problem. sad

There are dead broke athletes from other sports that made 100+ million in their careers. lol, people are so dumb with money.

Conor has me worried. He seems to spend it quickly.

 

[chunglii]

this guy
View attachment 78885

The BAS Body Action System changed my life

 

[Psychedelic]

Wasn't he charged with criminal activity.

Yup, and caught roiding several times. Still, recovered like a baws and imposed himself as a top pundit / media personality.

The sharp tongued pro-wrestling persona he adopted, and the wit and charisma he showed while doing it, pretty much was an investment in itself. Had he remained the mild-mannered fighter that he was prior to the first Silva fight, he'd be another mid-tier fighter struggling to make a living.

 

[Darwinambrosius]

There's the obvious ones like: Lidell, Sonnen, Couture, Stan, Florian etc, they got a job in the industry in one way or another but that obviously cannot apply to everyone.
I think unless you're a juggernaut like McGregor (who still has side projects) you have to be working on something during your fighting career, if you look at Carwin, Sonnen (again), Kennedy etc, they continued to have side projects throughout their career.
I think this is the way forward, look at Mendes and even Aldo, they are surely millionaires but have started their own businesses.
I can't see the Diaz brothers being too successful once their careers are over

The Diaz brothers aren't guys who would have done too well had they not found MMA, I wouldn't think. I really hope they're able to take up coaching or something.

Lots of guys spend years fighting and have no other skills that would transfer into a profession when they're done, except for coaching in some capacity. That's the biggest thing I've noticed with athletes (as well as plenty of celebrities) who go broke.

 

[DrDangles]

Smart MMA fighters will be fine. I dont like to be stereotypical, but there is a reason the fighters who are well spoken and more insightful tend to be more well off, both durind and after their fighting careers.

That doesnt mean they are immune from challenges, but from diversifying income streams, investing and maximizing brand name, the Chael Sonnens of the world will be fine

Aljamain Sterling seems motivated to do well for himself in the long term - contract hold out seemed to work out for him, and he has definitely put his name out there in the MMA world