"Who is that guy" "UFC wont attract top talent" fighter pay argument......

[TMAN29]

There are endless debates on here about fighter pay, and it usually is about those undercard fighters. I am on record as saying this is the group I care about the most as they are the ones that are most affected by the current pay structure. As a pro fighter and manager I feel that a beginner top organization fighter should not be broke to be a UFC fighter. And yes im only referring to the UFC because analytical evidence tells me that with their 4 billion dollar recent sale, they were probably vastly underpaying their fighters.

I believe undercard UFC fighters should start at 16/16 as this would allow them to be full time fighters, which could benefit their futures, the companies bottom lines though investing in future talent, and fans as they would see a better product. I cant feel bad for midcard fighters making 35/35k or more per fight. Now the problem ive had with UFC pay defenders is they dont hold UFC accountable for the "where would the money come from", "UFC wont attract top talent" or "I dont even know that guy" arguments.

The UFC benefited by increasing the number of fighters (mostly undercard), through more live events that padded their pockets; by giving them more live gates/fulfilling a fox contract which is going to lead to them making even more money on the next TV deal. This led to the UFC being able to justify paying debut guys 10/10k or 12/12k as most were brought in just to fill a FS1 or FS2 timeslot. This also spread money away from the guys who actually will have longetivity in the sport,who actually deserve more money at the beginning of their UFC Careers. It also led to viewers saying that these undercard guys didnt deserve more money as fans dont know who many of them are.'

THIS IMO IS WHY THEIR NEEDS TO BE A UNION, AND FANS SHOULDNT NOW OR BEFORE LET ZUFFA OFF THE HOOK REGARDING FIGHTER PAY!

 

[GrewUpSlapBoxin]

 

[Tormund]

MMA is a fallback sport for D & E level athletes, they shouldn't be paid like A-level athletes.

 

[TheRassler]

MMA is a fallback sport for D & E level athletes, they shouldn't be paid like A-level athletes.

Especially heavyweights, that's why most of the current UFC HW roster are in their mid 30's.

 

[blazerkor]

MMA is a fallback sport for D & E level athletes, they shouldn't be paid like A-level athletes.

I disagree wholeheartedly with that broad statement. Some of the fighters in the UFC are A level athletes. Now those guys who are on the undercards and stay there stagnantly could fit your description but like most times when people make broad generalizing statements, you sir are wrong.

 

[Andy Anderson]

MMA is a fallback sport for D & E level athletes, they shouldn't be paid like A-level athletes.

I think Ben Askren is a B+ level athelte

 

[Triangles]

Awesome. Another discussion on imaginary athlete levels.

 

[Neitzsche]

 

[Tormund]

I disagree wholeheartedly with that broad statement. Some of the fighters in the UFC are A level athletes. Now those guys who are on the undercards and stay there stagnantly could fit your description but like most times when people make broad generalizing statements, you sir are wrong.

LMAO, if they were A level athletes they'd get into sports that paid better. Aldo is a failed soccer player, Stipe is a failed baseball player and a failed boxer. And those are 2 of the better athletes on the roster.

 

[johnyboy]

MMA is a fallback sport for D & E level athletes, they shouldn't be paid like A-level athletes.

This makes no sense to me. Most quarterbacks would get knocked out in a fight and most fighters can't throw 50 yards neither makes one a better athlete.

 

[Hoop]

This whole A level athlete debate is a running joke of sorts, shirley?

 

[blazerkor]

There are endless debates on here about fighter pay, and it usually is about those undercard fighters. I am on record as saying this is the group I care about the most as they are the ones that are most affected by the current pay structure. As a pro fighter and manager I feel that a beginner top organization fighter should not be broke to be a UFC fighter. And yes im only referring to the UFC because analytical evidence tells me that with their 4 billion dollar recent sale, they were probably vastly underpaying their fighters.

I believe undercard UFC fighters should start at 16/16 as this would allow them to be full time fighters, which could benefit their futures, the companies bottom lines though investing in future talent, and fans as they would see a better product. I cant feel bad for midcard fighters making 35/35k or more per fight. Now the problem ive had with UFC pay defenders is they dont hold UFC accountable for the "where would the money come from", "UFC wont attract top talent" or "I dont even know that guy" arguments.

The UFC benefited by increasing the number of fighters (mostly undercard), through more live events that padded their pockets; by giving them more live gates/fulfilling a fox contract which is going to lead to them making even more money on the next TV deal. This led to the UFC being able to justify paying debut guys 10/10k or 12/12k as most were brought in just to fill a FS1 or FS2 timeslot. This also spread money away from the guys who actually will have longetivity in the sport,who actually deserve more money at the beginning of their UFC Careers. It also led to viewers saying that these undercard guys didnt deserve more money as fans dont know who many of them are.'

THIS IMO IS WHY THEIR NEEDS TO BE A UNION, AND FANS SHOULDNT NOW OR BEFORE LET ZUFFA OFF THE HOOK REGARDING FIGHTER PAY!

See this might be my biggest problem with the idea of unionizing in a sport that is so individuated. I don't think fighter pay should be up for discussion. I think that revenue share could be, benefits would be, rules and regulations including PEDs but not a fighter pay scale.

The guys who I tune in to watch should get the lions share and the guys who are the curtain jerkers and aren't showing any upward mobility should probably have a day job. I am not so worried about those guys as I am about a guy like GSP who didn't see his fare share of the fortune he brought into the company. So yeah, if there was a revenue split there may be a small uptick for the worst fighters in the organization but hopefully not too much because we shouldn't pay more for mediocrity and we definitely shouldn't pay more for failure.

 

[Drofrah]

I am not an advocate for this whole A level athlete thing. However it is likely that the top end of athletes will be good at the majority of sports and are likely to into those.

Give the sport 50 years we will see a different calobur of athlete.

Certain people like the Diaz or hunts of the world will always fight, regardless of pay.

Can we imagine a time when scholarships are offered for mma?

 

[rjmbrd]

MMA is a fallback sport for D & E level athletes, they shouldn't be paid like A-level athletes.

Right - you realize he's arguing that they should get a step up to make a fraction of A level athletes?

The absolutely minimum mandated pay in the NFL, for a rookie is $450k/year.

TS proposes a bump up to 16/16. Lets assume this fighter gets two bouts and wins both, we're talking $64k/year.

So he is proposing rookie UFC fighters get pay increase so they make 14% of the absolute minimum rookie pay in the NFL.

This isn't crazy talk, its common sense.

 

[Tormund]

This makes no sense to me. Most quarterbacks would get knocked out in a fight and most fighters can't throw 50 yards neither makes one a better athlete.

The best athletes go into the high paying sports.

 

[Source]

There are endless debates on here about fighter pay, and it usually is about those undercard fighters. I am on record as saying this is the group I care about the most as they are the ones that are most affected by the current pay structure. As a pro fighter and manager I feel that a beginner top organization fighter should not be broke to be a UFC fighter. And yes im only referring to the UFC because analytical evidence tells me that with their 4 billion dollar recent sale, they were probably vastly underpaying their fighters.

I believe undercard UFC fighters should start at 16/16 as this would allow them to be full time fighters, which could benefit their futures, the companies bottom lines though investing in future talent, and fans as they would see a better product. I cant feel bad for midcard fighters making 35/35k or more per fight. Now the problem ive had with UFC pay defenders is they dont hold UFC accountable for the "where would the money come from", "UFC wont attract top talent" or "I dont even know that guy" arguments.

The UFC benefited by increasing the number of fighters (mostly undercard), through more live events that padded their pockets; by giving them more live gates/fulfilling a fox contract which is going to lead to them making even more money on the next TV deal. This led to the UFC being able to justify paying debut guys 10/10k or 12/12k as most were brought in just to fill a FS1 or FS2 timeslot. This also spread money away from the guys who actually will have longetivity in the sport,who actually deserve more money at the beginning of their UFC Careers. It also led to viewers saying that these undercard guys didnt deserve more money as fans dont know who many of them are.'

THIS IMO IS WHY THEIR NEEDS TO BE A UNION, AND FANS SHOULDNT NOW OR BEFORE LET ZUFFA OFF THE HOOK REGARDING FIGHTER PAY!

Excluding the highly touted prospects the undercard fighters are the most interchangeable on the roster. Making them the lest valueable commodity. It's unfortunate reality of business. Business to not want to pay more for a service than they have to.

With having said that and excluding the union talk for the time being your 16/16 min seems sensible. It would constitute only a minimal impact to the bottom line. Unfortunately this wouldn't be enough to satiate most of the fighter pay arguments. More often than not I do not think are rooted in any true concern for the fighters well being, and are just being used to further the authors personal agendas. On the surface your proposal is an exception, it appears to be genuine and reasonable. Now don't go and mess it up.

 

[blazerkor]

LMAO, if they were A level athletes they'd get into sports that paid better. Aldo is a failed soccer player, Stipe is a failed baseball player and a failed boxer. And those are 2 of the better athletes on the roster.

All of the A level wrestlers in the sport make you look like a fool. All of the A level BJJ practitioners also make your argument hallow. The fact is boxing has always attracted A level athletes and now MMA does as well. Oh and a non star that starts in the NFL, MLB and even NBA does not make more money than McGregor, GSP, or Jones. The guys that sell and get PPV points are paid like A level athletes and for the most part are. Incredibly athletic guys like Sage and Wonderboy have dedicated their entire lives to martial arts, to say that if they gave the same dedication to basketball, football or baseball that they wouldn't be able to make it to the highest level of those sports is close minded conjecture.

 

[Bmurray]

If the fighters are too selfish and disorganized to collectively bargain, that's their problem.

 

[Hoop]

The best athletes go into the high paying sports.

I think that's a load of nonsense. Part of it is where you're brought up and what sport you take up at a young age that you have a passion for.

Sailing, for example. You'd assume someone who goes on to compete in the Olympics grew up near the sea or their Mother and Father done it before them.

Your comparison is like a failed actor or singer who goes on to do a crappy reality TV show.

 

[JosephTessaro]

I don't know why fans care so much about fighter pay. Fighters should be the ones that care about how much they get paid, and if they don't like it, get another job.