I’m talking the first couple generations of mma. Late 90’s to mid-2000’s.
we’re starting to hear stories of more and more of these guys struggling physically, emotionally, legally and financially. Is MMA due for a bunch of tragic and premature death? Does the UFC look as eveil and exploitive as Vince has been accused?
A lot of these guys have drinking problems. They usually still have people willing to enable them. They’re usually in some pain and have experience using pharmaceuticals to cope.
I think fighters struggling with finances is going to he a big one.
That’s a tough one to quantify, though…meaning, at what point do guys deserve to be set for life? If a guy fights in the UFC and goes 1-3 over 18 months and then gets cut, how much money should he have in the bank for that?
I think with so many guys coming in and out, we’re likely to have several former UFC fighters get arrested in the future…but at what point is a guy a “UFC fighter” and not “a guy who happened to fight in the UFC?”
Mike Perry, 13 UFC fights over the last 4 years, so he feels to me like a UFC fighter. I have no idea of his financial situation, but it feels like he should be living an above average life financially. Should he be filthy rich? Probably not, but I have to assume he’s be making 250K+ annually.
It’s odd though, because a guy like War Machine is often referred to as a UFC fighter, but dude fought in the UFC twice, and fought 12 times after that. Dude had 7 fights total when the UFC cut him, and the incident that put him behind bars was like 6 years after the UFC cut him. His last 3 fights were in Bellator.
I guess my point is, if we say that MMA and the UFC is headed for a WWE like crisis, I think it depends on who we consider to be UFC fighters. I don’t think many longtime UFC fighters will run into issues financially.
I do think there will be lots of guys who never made it who likely run into issues, though. There’s a lot of guys going all in, training full time, working shit jobs to get by, living in cars or their gym trying to make it as a pro fighter. The sport really does require a 100% commitment and I think there will be tons of guys who end up retired from the sport at 35 with a UFC record of like 1-3 and don’t have a backup plan. Their entire identity is being an MMA fighter, and when it doesn’t pan out, they’re likely in for a tough ride.
Most of them don't seem to have a good exit plan for when they retire and don't appear to be financially savvy.
It seems that most athletes end up broke after their athletic careers are over. I believe I read somewhere that the average NFL player is bankrupt after 5 years of retiring or leaving the NFL. Here is a link that says over 78% end up financially distressed. We have to remember that most of these guys are athletically gifted but not necessarily intelligently gifted.
Sports Illustrated once estimated that 78 percent of NFL players are either bankrupt or under financial stress within two years of retirement and 60 percent of National Basketball Association players are broke within five years of leaving the sport.
Most of them don't seem to have a good exit plan for when they retire and don't appear to be financially savvy.
It seems that most athletes end up broke after their athletic careers are over. I believe I read somewhere that the average NFL player is bankrupt after 5 years of retiring or leaving the NFL. Here is a link that says over 78% end up financially distressed. We have to remember that most of these guys are athletically gifted but not necessarily intelligently gifted.
Sports Illustrated once estimated that 78 percent of NFL players are either bankrupt or under financial stress within two years of retirement and 60 percent of National Basketball Association players are broke within five years of leaving the sport.
That’s also the nature of the league as well though. Little guaranteed money and the ability to be cut at any time, so if you’re in any financial hole whatsoever you’re fucked if you get dropped. Add in the higher % of guys coming from low socioeconomic situations. NBA guys tend to have more security and get paid more, but I’m sure it’s still a problem there.
I’d bet it’s not nearly as bad in sports like hockey and baseball where you have a lot more guys coming from the middle >
I think fighters struggling with finances is going to he a big one.
That’s a tough one to quantify, though…meaning, at what point do guys deserve to be set for life? If a guy fights in the UFC and goes 1-3 over 18 months and then gets cut, how much money should he have in the bank for that?
I think with so many guys coming in and out, we’re likely to have several former UFC fighters get arrested in the future…but at what point is a guy a “UFC fighter” and not “a guy who happened to fight in the UFC?”
Mike Perry, 13 UFC fights over the last 4 years, so he feels to me like a UFC fighter. I have no idea of his financial situation, but it feels like he should be living an above average life financially. Should he be filthy rich? Probably not, but I have to assume he’s be making 250K+ annually.
It’s odd though, because a guy like War Machine is often referred to as a UFC fighter, but dude fought in the UFC twice, and fought 12 times after that. Dude had 7 fights total when the UFC cut him, and the incident that put him behind bars was like 6 years after the UFC cut him. His last 3 fights were in Bellator.
I guess my point is, if we say that MMA and the UFC is headed for a WWE like crisis, I think it depends on who we consider to be UFC fighters. I don’t think many longtime UFC fighters will run into issues financially.
I do think there will be lots of guys who never made it who likely run into issues, though. There’s a lot of guys going all in, training full time, working shit jobs to get by, living in cars or their gym trying to make it as a pro fighter. The sport really does require a 100% commitment and I think there will be tons of guys who end up retired from the sport at 35 with a UFC record of like 1-3 and don’t have a backup plan. Their entire identity is being an MMA fighter, and when it doesn’t pan out, they’re likely in for a tough ride.
The WWF was different though as Vince was making a shit ton of money, and those guys were on cartoons, lunchboxes and were household names.
The UFC of 1993-2005 (approx) was extremely niche and generally struggled to even break even. It only survived because it’s owners were independently wealthy and were covering losses.
I think fighters struggling with finances is going to he a big one.
That’s a tough one to quantify, though…meaning, at what point do guys deserve to be set for life? If a guy fights in the UFC and goes 1-3 over 18 months and then gets cut, how much money should he have in the bank for that?
I think with so many guys coming in and out, we’re likely to have several former UFC fighters get arrested in the future…but at what point is a guy a “UFC fighter” and not “a guy who happened to fight in the UFC?”
Mike Perry, 13 UFC fights over the last 4 years, so he feels to me like a UFC fighter. I have no idea of his financial situation, but it feels like he should be living an above average life financially. Should he be filthy rich? Probably not, but I have to assume he’s be making 250K+ annually.
It’s odd though, because a guy like War Machine is often referred to as a UFC fighter, but dude fought in the UFC twice, and fought 12 times after that. Dude had 7 fights total when the UFC cut him, and the incident that put him behind bars was like 6 years after the UFC cut him. His last 3 fights were in Bellator.
I guess my point is, if we say that MMA and the UFC is headed for a WWE like crisis, I think it depends on who we consider to be UFC fighters. I don’t think many longtime UFC fighters will run into issues financially.
I do think there will be lots of guys who never made it who likely run into issues, though. There’s a lot of guys going all in, training full time, working shit jobs to get by, living in cars or their gym trying to make it as a pro fighter. The sport really does require a 100% commitment and I think there will be tons of guys who end up retired from the sport at 35 with a UFC record of like 1-3 and don’t have a backup plan. Their entire identity is being an MMA fighter, and when it doesn’t pan out, they’re likely in for a tough ride.
I’m still not sure how much money UFC fighters should be making. I’ve heard some say that new fighters to the UFC should all be making 50/50 but I think that’s a bit high. I mean, why pay a guy that much when he doesn’t have any drawing power?
Then again, guys like Darren Til should be able to fight for 10-15 years and be able to retire comfortably. How many UFC fighters can fight for 10-15 years and retire comfortably? I’d say less than 15%. This should change obviously.
Anyone know the average career length of a UFC fighter?
But yes, I think many Mma fighters that devoted their life to Mma only to have a rather lackluster or average fight career will have very big problems when their fight career ends.
Even guys that should be well off like Chuck Liddell seem to have problems with retirement
No chance. The vast majority of the deaths of Pro Wrestlers are directly attributed to self medication because they were working hundreds of nights a year, a good proportion of that time injured coupled with being on the road constantly and being bored developing addictions to whatever was their drug of choice akin to a touring Rock star. MMA fighters on a whole at stationary wherever their home gym is and the amount of training they do wouldn't lead to that sort of life Plus any decent gym would have a family like environment and should spot the early warning signs of someone fucking themselves up.
I think fighters struggling with finances is going to he a big one.
That’s a tough one to quantify, though…meaning, at what point do guys deserve to be set for life? If a guy fights in the UFC and goes 1-3 over 18 months and then gets cut, how much money should he have in the bank for that?
I think with so many guys coming in and out, we’re likely to have several former UFC fighters get arrested in the future…but at what point is a guy a “UFC fighter” and not “a guy who happened to fight in the UFC?”
Mike Perry, 13 UFC fights over the last 4 years, so he feels to me like a UFC fighter. I have no idea of his financial situation, but it feels like he should be living an above average life financially. Should he be filthy rich? Probably not, but I have to assume he’s be making 250K+ annually.
It’s odd though, because a guy like War Machine is often referred to as a UFC fighter, but dude fought in the UFC twice, and fought 12 times after that. Dude had 7 fights total when the UFC cut him, and the incident that put him behind bars was like 6 years after the UFC cut him. His last 3 fights were in Bellator.
I guess my point is, if we say that MMA and the UFC is headed for a WWE like crisis, I think it depends on who we consider to be UFC fighters. I don’t think many longtime UFC fighters will run into issues financially.
I do think there will be lots of guys who never made it who likely run into issues, though. There’s a lot of guys going all in, training full time, working shit jobs to get by, living in cars or their gym trying to make it as a pro fighter. The sport really does require a 100% commitment and I think there will be tons of guys who end up retired from the sport at 35 with a UFC record of like 1-3 and don’t have a backup plan. Their entire identity is being an MMA fighter, and when it doesn’t pan out, they’re likely in for a tough ride.
I’m still not sure how much money UFC fighters should be making. I’ve heard some say that new fighters to the UFC should all be making 50/50 but I think that’s a bit high. I mean, why pay a guy that much when he doesn’t have any drawing power?
Then again, guys like Darren Til should be able to fight for 10-15 years and be able to retire comfortably. How many UFC fighters can fight for 10-15 years and retire comfortably? I’d say less than 15%. This should change obviously.
Anyone know the average career length of a UFC fighter?
But yes, I think many Mma fighters that devoted their life to Mma only to have a rather lackluster or average fight career will have very big problems when their fight career ends.
Even guys that should be well off like Chuck Liddell seem to have problems with retirement
When comparing UFC fighters to other sports, the prelim fighters are more like college athletes, or practice squad guys in the NFL. The UFC is giving them a shot, and trying to see if they’re going to be long term fighters. So for those guys that come in and don’t win fights, and end up getting cut after going 1-3, I’m really not concerned with their level of pay.
It would be great if it was higher, but I’d rather see a pay increase for the guys that stick around a while…I just picked a guy at random, and Sam Alvey made $65K for a recent fight. Dude has like 19 UFC fights over 6 years, and is 10-9. I think a guy like that deserves more than $65K a fight.
We know many of the marketable fighters make millions per fight, and I’m sure a guy like Masvidal is making more than a million per fight as well…but prior to his most recent winning streak and new found popularity, he wasn’t making much. I see a payout of $66K for the Wonderboy fight. He’s been a tough and reliable fighter for the UFC for a long time, and he’s always taking tough fights.
Look at this list of guys: Ellenberger, Cowboy, Maia, Wonderboy, Till, Askren…those were his last 6 fights before his popularity took off, and his base pay was 66K/66K for the Till fight. His first payday with a base salary of 100k or more was the Askren fight.
I think that’s the issue with the UFC’s pay scale currently. I don’t think there should be such a huge gap between the guys who are so close in skills.