So I was on xbox live last night playing Texas Hold' em, and my gamertag is UFC Monsta 360. So ofcourse I get ask if I'm a UFC fan. And these guys that were clearly casual fans, started talking about UFC fighters don't make nearly as much as their worth. One of them actually trained in boxing, and thought that UFC guys were getting so little paid compare to boxers. I actually told them the Zuffa side of the pay scale story. On how Zuffa has no guaruntees and they pay for the entire production, and how they will give their top guys a cut of the PPV. But they even said that it's not fair for the undercard guys. When undercard PPV boxers make anywhere from a 100,000 grand to 500,000 grand on the books. And the undercard MMA fighter makes anywhere from 3,000 - 10,000 grand it's a whole different ball game.
The problem is that Chuck, Tito, and Randy... well mostly Chuck now, they made at least a million based on the sponsorship deals, and PPV cuts that the UFC offers them. So their not going to complain. The problem is that up and coming fighters suffer. I'm sure that a boxer in a smoker show makes a 100 bucks around. But that's probably not the case for undercard PPV boxers, in which the PPV revenue is doing just as good if not beating top boxing cards. It's not even like the PPV prices are low. Back in the day it was 20 bucks a show, then 25, eventually 30, then after the Ultimate Fighter, popularity soared, big main events, like Cotoure and Liddell, Ortiz and Liddell, and Royce Gracie vs. Matt Hughes started being 40 bucks and prices haven't dropped since. A boxing card is 50 dollars, UFC is 40. Their should be not that much discreprency between the paydays. Can someone please form a union.
Truth is any up and comer is going to have to sacrifice no matter what the endeavor. These guys making 3,000 for a fight are getting exposure and an opportunity worth alot more than that. That's why they sign the contract.
Its pretty well settled not that Zuffa pays about as well or better than any other organization.
"But that's probably not the case for undercard PPV boxers"
Jesse James Leija is a very good boxer and often fights up and comers on a headliner on HBO. I think against one he got 40k and the other he got 50 or so (not certain it could have been 100 for the second). That's not exactly earth shattering to be on a WIDELY watched cable boxing match. I want to say it was Comacho jr?? and Borjaha (fooked spelling on both). I dont remember the fight but another guy was on who took a fight on short notice and got paid 35-40k to fight a BADASS, guy had 35 or so pro fights and only a loss or two. Said he took the fight because it was 10 times more than he has ever made before.
Guys are on ESPN all the time headlining who get 10-15k.
So if a guy like McDonald got 10 k for his fight and a 20k bonus for sub of the night I would say he is doing ok.
Cruz is another story, but as tapped as the UFC is for heavies he should fire his manager.
It took a long time for boxers to get their due money wise. And it will take a long time for UFC fighters. They've been getting jobbed by management, but soon enough they will have big time representation and they will get their rightful share of the profits.
"Just an FYI based on some of the comments I read here. The biggest PPV we have had this year was headlined by Oscar de la Hoya and Ricardo Mayorga. The eight undercard boxers on that PPV made: $2,500, $2,500, $3,000, $3,000, $3,500, $4,000, $6,000 and $7,500. Oscar made $8,000,000 plus a percentage of PPV buys."
I made an argument about how little undercarders in boxing make a month or so ago and searched the web for some numbers. I wish to hell I could have found that back then, as when I made my statement it came from talking to a boxing manager I knew and a couple of guys I knew who trained alot and circled the outsides of the Boxing "game". I believed em, but its not exactly good proof. Glad to see some up there.
To say you're in the UFC should mean something now that MMA has become this popular. For instance everyone in the NFL makes enough to live extremely comfortable without having to have a second job, and I'm not saying fighters should get the millions that they make because obviously the NFL is extremely more popular than the UFC. As far as UFC contracts go I'm pretty sure everyone that gets asked to fight in the UFC signs up for a multi fight contract whether it be two or three more fights. Sure, they bring fighters to the UFC that turn out to have a lack of skill or boring style that may make them not want to keep those fighters for too long, but thats what contracts are for. I don't think they should keep bringing fighters to the UFC if they're not positive they have a great amount of skill and marketability. That is where the WEC should be able to come into play as somewhat of a farm league. If the UFC finds a certain fighter that they're not overly familiar with then they should set them up with a WEC contract. That contract would be similiar to the debuting UFC fighters' contracts now, which definetly don't pay enough money for the fighter to even take care of themselves without an additional job. Say if the debuting UFC fighters today sign up for a 3-fight deal, they are only gonna make between $12,000 and $18,000 during that contract and thats to say they win all of those fights. I know the UFC is very generous with the best fight, knockout and sub. bonuses
but what if that fighter never wins one of those during his contract. Most of the top guys like Chuck are making enough at this point, its mainly the new guys that I belive should be making at least a total of $40,000 during a year long contract, if thats not possible at this point, then they should slow down the rate of bringing new fighters in and start utilizing the WEC appropriately.
UFC can afford to pay a lot more money than it does currently. It has a monopoly in the US market, so it's not a surprise they are still doing 3k/3k etc.
"Don't even compare MMA to MLB, NFL, or NBA, even the worst players in those leagues get over 200K/year and lifelong pensions, and the stars are all making 20 million a year plus endorsements"
Like I said.....
"..and I'm not saying fighters should get the millions that they make because obviously the NFL is extremely more popular than the UFC."
the only way to raise salaries is to have 2 competing orgs. If UFC gains a monopoly the situation will not change for the better. If Pride sinks, then it will be even worse.