Adult content had been on the bleeding edge of technology, since ever since.
27,000 years ago, when humankind first got the impulse to make sculptures, the Venus figurines had big old boobs and butts, almost like they had enhancement surgery. 4,000 years ago, the oldest known literature, Sumerian cuneiform on clay tablets, contained instructions on how a man should touch a woman in her “goodly place.” Over 500 years ago The Gutenberg Bible was the first book ever printed with movable metal type; the second thing was naughty stories with pics. In 1979, when less than 1 percent of American homes had VCRs, more than 75 percent of the VHS tapes sold were adult content. Phone sex operators led in the marketing and technology of pay-per-call services, which could command $7 per minute. Adult sites led the move to paying for content online.
And technology can taketh away, too. Tube sites destroyed the adult video business, by giving it away. In response, digital sex workers are moving to OnlyFans, a website where talent can share images and videos with fans paying a subscription fee specifically for and set by that individual. Fees can range from free to $5 per month to over $50; talent keeps 80% of the revenue. As has happened since time immemorial, non-sex workers began to adopt the technology too. There are now cooking lessons available on OnlyFans, and makeup tutorials. Cardi B has an OnlyFans, with no WAP.
The COVID-19 global pandemic destroyed live combat sports events, an industry where the vast majority of athletes typically struggle financially. The UFC is considered the big time, and it starts at $10,000 to show and $10,000 to win, with $3,500 in apparel money. Contracts call for three fights a year, but the number of fighters per contracted fighter is in reality two, with half the bouts being lost. That comes out to a first-year income of $33,700. Back out management, taxes, and training expenses, and there’s not a lot. So the effects of the pandemic are devastating. And that’s the UFC, at the top of the food chain; it’s generally worse elsewhere.
Against this backdrop, a number of female fighters and MMA professionals have opened up OnlyFans accounts. While all have some sensual aesthetic angle, by no means are all explicit.
Female MMA Fighters With OnlyFans
Loba Acosta $26.69/month
Jessica Andrade $23/month
Kyra Batara $12.50/month
Cindy Dandois $15.99/month
Tai Emery $11.99/month
Jessica Eye $30/month
Claudia Gadelha $49/month
Hannah Goldy $10/month
Pearl Gonzalez* $9.99/month
Kay Hansen $30/month
Felice Herrig $9.99/month
Barb Honchak $15.99/month
Katharina Lehner $13.50/month
Valerie Loureda* $9.99/month
Jade Masson-Wong $14.99/month
Rachael Ostovich* $9.99/month
Jessica Penne $22.22/month
Meaghan Penning $13.50/month
Bec Rawlings $20/month
Paige VanZant* $9.99/month
Emily Whitmire $13.99/month
Social Network Gallery
https://www.instagram.com/p/ChxibkDAx2z/
Why Fighters Open an OnlyFans
The pandemic forced Dandois to close her school, and the PFL canceled the entire 2020 season.
“I lost my gym during this Covid-lockdown, no help from our government and fights canceled, leaving me with big financial problems,” tweeted Dandois in June. “I decided to make an Only Fans so I can collect the money to re-open the gym and give the youngsters their home back.”
Damon Martin for MMA Fighting spoke recently with the face of BKFC Bec Rawlings to get her input on the new phenomenon.
“Look it’s been a game changer for me,” said Rawlings. “I’d be stressing and freaking out right now. I definitely wouldn’t be in the situation I’m in right now if I didn’t start my OnlyFans. I took the plunge and I’ve never really been one to care about what people think or say. I put myself out there and it’s definitely paid off.
“Normally, I’d be freaking out right now if I haven’t fought yet and made some money. So it’s given me an opportunity to make money elsewhere. So it’s definitely saved me during this. It’s been good. I’m enjoying it. I’ve always been good about putting stuff online and with social media so it’s allowed me to get on a more exclusive website where people can pay to see your content and actually make some money off it instead of putting stuff up on Instagram or Facebook and they reap all the benefits.”
“I like having control of everything. I’ve had people say they were thinking of starting one and they ask if someone else will be controlling it for them. Nope, I control everything that I do. I like going on there. I like having a choice of what I put out there. I like talking to people. If I want to stop doing it, I can do it. I’m not locked into any contract. I like having freedom and control over my own brand.”
“I think it’s cool to see other fighters and especially athletes embrace the site and hustle on something that we can. We can’t tell the future and with the pandemic, we don’t know when we’re going to fight and so this is a way to set yourself up and have another source of income. It will be interesting to see what kind of content people are offering and if they stick around.
“I think it’s definitely something everyone need to embrace. It’s good for the sport, it’s good for the fighters and it’s good for the fans to have a different kind of contact and support for the fighters.”
OnlyFans now has 450,000 content creators, and over 30 million registered users. So how much are these MMA professionals making? Actress Bella Thorne launched an OnlyFans page with the implied promise of nudity, and reportedly made $2 million in a week. Thorne was trolling, Rawlings is not.
“I’m definitely not Bella Thorne level at all but I’ve made some decent money,” said Rawlings. “It’s definitely been worth it, especially with the criticism that’s come with it like ‘oh this is what MMA has come to’ like we’re stooping to some level and it’s not that at all. It’s your choice what kind of content you put on your profile. I think people just naturally assume the worst. Of course when they see other stuff on that kind of site, they assume that’s what we’re posting on there. It’s definitely been worth it. I’ve made some great money on there.”
“I definitely have more freedom on there to post what I want and not dealing with the nastiness and hatred. That’s what I find on Twitter and Instagram. People go out of their way to comment hateful stuff. They’re not a fan. They’ve just come across my picture and decide to be an ahole. With OnlyFans, people are paying to see your content. So if they’re paying, they’re a fan and they want to see your content. It’s a lot nicer experience. They’re not paying a $20 subscription fee to talk s* to me.
“I haven’t had a negative experience yet. If it got to the point where I wasn’t enjoying it or wasn’t enjoying interacting with people, I would leave. I enjoy it. I enjoy interacting with people on there. I enjoy the money. I don’t see the harm in doing it.”
Martin reached out to a prominent MMA manager who requested anonymity. He said one of his fighters cleared $15,000 to $25,000 in a single month.
It’s time for members of the UG and OG, each of us, to open an OnlyFans page. Some of us could become actual dollaraires, possibly.
