UFC Fighter Pay scale

I actually respect Jake Paul for his comments in this video. A lot of us have known that the UFC pay is subpar. I didn't know how bad.

 

How bad is it? What did he say?

 

Interesting Watch...

Among Other Things, They Discussed...

1. How UFC Monopolized the Market Which Puts Them in the Position of RARELY Having to Negotiate w/Fighters

2. UFC Fighters Have NO Health Benefits
3. The Reebok Apparel Deal Actually UNDERMINES and LIMITS Fighter's Sponsorship Opportunities...

4. The Average UFC Salary was 148k in 2020, But 1/3rd of Their Roster Made LESS Than $45k that Same Year...

5. NBA Players Make 49% of the Overall Revenue
NFL Players Make 48% of the Overall Revenue
MLB Players Make 50% of the Overall Revenue
UFC Fighters Make 20% of the Overall Revenue

6. Zuffa Purchased UFC for $2Mil, the Company is Now Worth $9-$10BIL
7. Dana White Has a Net Worth of Nearly Half a BIL...
8. Dana White's Been Known to Make Vegas Wagers as High as $7Mil...

Very Little That You Probably DIDN'T Know Already or Wouldn't EXPECT...When a Company is SECRETIVE About Their Financials it's Because SOMEBODY's Getting Fucked, Obviously...

In the Case of UFC, It's the Fighters...

Jake Paul Seems SINCERE About Bringing Awareness to Fighter Salaries, Not Just Because He's Paid Woodley and Askren MORE Than They Ever Made in UFC, but they Way He SHOWCASES Amanda Serrano On Each of His Cards, As Well...








REED

 

UFC fighters are getting screwed royally by White and co. But they only have themselves to blame since they dont seem interested in forming an union

 

Even WWE, who only pays talent like 8%, they just re-signed a French-Canuck wrestler named Kevin Owens to around a $7.5 million/3-year extension. So for $2.5 million/year, does Jon Jones, Stipe Miocic, or Francis Ngannou even make that?

 

perhaps you should take the initiative and organize one for them, Caesar Canuckvez

 

Poor little neil. Your trolling is getting weaker and weaker

 

Most sports leagues have players making just under 50% of the revenue. UFC fighter pay is about 20%. Jake Paul calls Dana White out on it.

 

Thank you for an in depth break down of the video, I’m actually kind of interested in watching it now.

I like the Paul brothers, they’ve even spoken out on racial inequality as well as the financial inequality in sports.

 

Didn't Logan Paul just recently accuse Mayweather of not pay him?

I think it's good that the UFC fighters get a bigger piece of the pie. It's a tough sport. Maybe with this new mma league they're talking about will bring some of these much needed changes in the sport.

As far as the Paul brother championing a cause for ufc fighter’s salaries I take it with a grain of salt since I know nothing about them or what their youtube channels were about before they became involved with boxing. But I do know that all this about Mayweather worried about fighters is bs. He may act like he cares but back in the day Mayweather didn't give a shit about fighters or fans. He was money Mayweather. I seriously doubt the Paul Brothers are any different.

 

If you don’t know anything about the Paul Brothers why would you assume they’re no different than someone like Mayweather?

You’re right though, that Paul’s been claiming Floyd owes him money. I don’t know why Paul is chirping about it on social media as opposed to taking the issue to court.

You’re also right about a new MMA league called the World Fighting League supposedly being on the horizon. It’s apparently being created by a bunch of ex pro athletes, actors and other such people. Some of the perks they’re advertising are revenue sharing with the fighters, health insurance, pension and an actual insistence that the fighters have a union. The league will apparently be run similar to the NBA & NFL with 4 conferences compromised of 8-24 teams per conference. Each team will have an owner who will sign 24 fighters (3 per weight class) and the team owner is responsible for providing health insurance as well as career ending insurance for his fighters. The owner’s earnings will also be capped at 50% of the revenue. This league is expected to kick off in 2023 so it looks like Dana White as well as the other MMA leagues have about a year to get their shit together. Because if this thing actually takes off, it sounds a hell of a lot better than being in the UFC.


World Fighting League (WFL) details leak for new MMA promotion debuting in 2023

 

Unfortunately, mma is not really popular in the us, the ufc is. Id be surprised if this new org has success

 

Like Anything Else, It'll Boil Down to the NAME BRAND Talent They Recruit...They'll Also Need to Be PATIENT, Instead of PANICKING If it's Not an Immediate Success...

Most Successful Businesses Actually FAIL Initially...




REED

 

The only name that could make them a threat to the ufc is McGregor, and i doubt he will leave the ufc. I doubt that even a name like Jones would bring success to a new org.

In the US, people buy the ufc brand, and the fighters tend to be secondary

 

Valid Point...

Most Casual American Fans Don't Realize UFC is a Company Under the "Mixed Martial Arts" Umbrella, They Think UFC is a SPORT Unto Itself...Strikeforce, Bellator, etc. is ALL "UFC" to Casual American Combative Sports Fans...REED Was Guilty of This HIMSELF Until he Started Actively Watching MMA in '07 (Rampage vs. Henderson)...

Jon Jones Would Bring IMMEDIATE Success in REED's Opinion, But SUSTAINABLE Success is Another Matter...McGregor's PERSONALITY Alone Would Help...He Wouldn't Even Have to Compete; Let McGregor Coach the European Team and Keep Microphones and Cameras in His Face...

An "Ultimate Fighter" Styled Reality Show Could Help PROMOTE the Unknown Guys, But More Than Anything, the INEQUITY of Fighter Salaries in UFC Needs to Be a Constant SELLING POINT of the New League...Remind Viewers What Makes the League DIFFERENT From UFC...

REED's an Optimist at Heart, So he Believes This CAN Work, But Again, it's About PATIENCE...The Powers That Be Need to Be Willing to Invest 3-5 Years, Minimum...Can't PANIC and Pull the Plug 1-2 Years Into the Project...




REED

 

Ngannou needs to walk to Bellator with the UFC belt

 

Something about right-wing fighters bawling about poor working conditions, they oughta join Dana in the fight to retain their low pay, this is glorious American capitalism at work, hear the bald eagle squeal.

 

Exactly and if they wanted to pick up some extra money they could ask Mr. White if he's got any extra chores they could do around his mansion. Show some ambition instead of whining about your health problems.

 

If every fighter under the UFC who has a grip about the setup and pay scale didn’t immediately sign up for this league the minute it becomes available they’re absolutely idiots. It’s not just about doing it for their own well being but they have to do it for the future of MMA as well as setting a precedent for what they’ll accept from the UFC.

This can’t just be about Dana White & the UFC versus the WFL. The fighters absolutely have to pick a side here and be vocal about it. If it means struggling for a few years while the UFC slowly decays that has to be the way. If these guys ever want to get paid on a level commensurate with other professional athletes they have to stand together, sacrifice and fight for it.

As far as the fight attendance and viewership goes, I disagree the UFC is popular because of the name. It’s easy to think they brilliantly promoted their brand and that’s why they’re so successful, but let’s not forget a big part of their success was buying out their competition and being the biggest guy left on the block. I believe the most important element for success is to have the best and most abundant fighters. Any league that has the cream of the crop talent and is considered the league is going to win.

 

It'll Depend on the Terms of Their Contracts, Obviously...If You're 3 Fights Into a 6 Fight Deal, UFC Will Sue (& WIN) for Breach...

But Totally agREED Otherwise...If You're NOT Bound to UFC, You'd Be a Damn FOOL Not to Pursue the League...






REED

 

Yep and Dana could really pull some shenanigans too. Let’s say you are 3 fights into a 6 fight contract, he could literally stretch that out for years by not putting you on a card for a while.

 

And why were they able to buy their competition? Cause they mostly failed. Steikeforce, Bellator, Elite, Affliction and PFL, all had/have pretty bad tv rating and ppv sales. The only mma orgs that managed to have success (beside the ufc obviously) are/were based outside the us.

 

I think the UFC is now too much if a monopoly for them to be dislodged by another organization (at least in the short/medium term). Plus, a team concept in a combat sport is DOA imo. It just doesn't work... The only way for the fighter's pay to increase significantly would be for them to unionize. Baffling that so few of them seems to be interested when you look at their share of revenue vs what the athletes of other major leagues get (if the above figure is accurate).

 

Some people believe being in a union means everybody gets paid the same without any regard to performance.

 

I disagree the UFC can’t be dislodged, mainly due to fighter salaries, treatment and short term contracts that require you to win to stay on. Positive player pay, world class treatment and perks are a few reasons the NBA, NFL and MLB hold true monopolies that could likely not be taken over but the UFC is definitely more vulnerable. Especially if the fighters decide to work together.

I do agree the whole team concept is untenable and should be thrown out and I didn’t realize so many fighters were against unionization. Where was that stated?

 

REED Doesn't Know that Fighters are "Uninterested" in a Union, But When You're Living a CHECK to CHECK Existence It's Harder to Invest the Year or YEARS It'd Take to Reap the Benefits of the Union...

How Do You Make Ends Meet in the INTERIM???...THAT's the Issue, More Than a Lack of Interest in Unions, in REED's Opinion...





REED

 

I imagine a lot of the UFC guys already have jobs on the side if it’s true that many of them are walking away with measly 4 to low 5 figure paydays. With how badly it sounds they’re getting screwed, it doesn’t appear UFC money is a big part of their yearly income. I don’t think it’s the same as the NFL players trying to come together for a better deal since they at least make 6 figures. UFC guys only seem to get paid if they make the bonus. I said they’re going to have to sacrifice to come out ahead which shouldn’t be too hard because it sounds like they’re doing that already. It sounds like NBA G league and WNBA players make more money than UFC fighters.

 

The average tradesmen probably makes more than the lower tiered MMA fighters and they're not typically not putting life and limb on the line. An independent plumber had to pay for trade school and their own tools over the years, but once they do it's their own. Imagine if a plumber had to pay for a 6-8 week training course and purchase some new tools before every single job. That six figure salary isn't all that much money any more.

 

A FIGHTING League will have many issues...the Lakers can lose games and come back next week...same for the Buccaneers or Yankees. But in fighting/boxing you get knock the FUCK out or brutalize most of the time that is IT you are DONE as an elite fighter.

Imagine this league trying to build up/hype 4-5 guys...but it's a McGregor who get's all the love and fan support...then out of nowhere comes some guy named Khabib in put him in the a camel clutch and fucks his ass...

 

I can’t speak for boxing but I don’t think getting beaten or KTFO is the career killer you say it is. Guys like Cerrone, Barbosa, the Diaz brothers and others have been able to lose the occasional fight, never become actual champions and still maintain a nice strong fanbase. You can probably forget about anyone getting to McGregor’s level but if guy’s can just maintain a decent fanbase I think it could work. Plus I’ve always kind of wondered how boxing would have looked as a kind of regional fan based sport the way typical team sports are.

Anyway if this league ever gets off the ground I’ll definitely be pulling for it to one up the UFC. These guys deserve to be paid like the professionals that they are.