Put the level of fighters aside. But when you compare how much the UFC pays it fighters v. how much Pride pays its fighters...the UFC is a gateway show for fighters to make their debuts in Japan. Look how many UFC fighters/champs are trying to fight in Japan.
Rather than keeping their fighters satisfied, the UFC throws them out the door. As a result the UFC loses a lot of talent (i.e.- Pulver, Bustamente, Kerr, etc.)
The point the UFC is trying to make is that they don't need the fighters...the UFC can create stars. The fighters need the UFC. The fighters are expendable. That should not be the case.
The UFC should make some type of accomodations for their fighters so they don't keep losing them to Japan.
Consider BJ is offered by K-1 five times as much as he is offered to fight in the UFC (being a champ and well known fighter in UFC). And this is for his debut fight, and just to show up! Can you imagine what his purse would be once he becomes well known, and when he gets bonuses for winning.
If the UFC can not compete money wise, they should make some type of accomodations so they don't lose talent. Any recommendations?
If they don't do something soon, they will be seen as the second show...like KOTC is seen when compared to the UFC.
By the way, I believe the fighters in the states are way underpaid right now. But what can be done, their just is not that much money yet in the sport.
Any recommendations and responses would be appreciated.
The only thing I like better about the UFC is their drug testing and lack of fixes, other than that, PrideFC is where its at imo.
Good points. I think you hit it though,there just isn't a big enough fan base($) in the states for every name fighter to get paid the big bucks. I wish it wasn't so but MMA still has a long way to go in the states. It's much bigger and more well established and accepted in Japan.
"Even today, I'm sure UFC is looked at as a stepping stone to the big $$$ Pride Fights."
LOL
I don`t worry about anyone leaving the UFC to go to the Pride & Prejudice show.
There is so much untapped potential over here it isn`t even funny. All they are doing is making room for new talent because once they leave they won`t be back.
Bye Bye.
ok so.... not exactly correct. Aside from a just a few people mostly what pride gets is the UFC leftovers. Coleman, Goodridge, Frye, Mcgee, Schilt. These are guys that didnt cut it for whatever reason in the UFC and moved on.
Some exceptions are Bustamonte, who hasnt been very active nor very sucsessful. Thats really about all I can think of as far as people who left the ufc on top to go to pride.
Have people left? Sure they have gone and faught in shooto, k1, njpw, and ufo. Is that the fault of the ufc that they have competitors? Not really. They have also taken top fighters from other orginazations from japan. Uno, Sakurai, TK, Bas Rutten, Ken Shamrock(from pride), Ricco Rod, Vitor Belfort, Genki Sudo, Sem Shilt.
Fact is people jump from organization to organization alot in MMA. Why? Because one second your hot somewhere and another your not. So if you keep moving your stock can stay high where as if you stay put your flame is sure to go out.
It really isn't the ufc's fault. Also I have faught in KOTC and been backstage for UFC's and it isnt a fair comparison. Nothing in the UFC can match the UFC's level of show. Its not a knock on anyone else just that the UFC really does put on an amazing show.
Just my thoughts.
CharlesFFA, you made some good points. But the fact remains, that a lot of fighters would prefer to fight in Japan than the states (be it Pride or some other organization). Pulver is fighting in Shooto, which compared to pride, k-1, or the ufc is a smaller show. And he is getting paid more than he ever was paid to fight in the ufc.
"It really isn't the ufc's fault. Also I have faught in KOTC and been backstage for UFC's and it isnt a fair comparison. Nothing in the UFC can match the UFC's level of show. "
Thats exactly my point. The UFC puts on a much better show compared to KOTC. But when you compare the UFC show to Pride, Pride's show is on a different level. UFC has 15,000 attendance in the MGM Las Vegas, Pride sells out the tokyo dome and has TV coverage. As mentioned earlier, the salaries can not even be compared between the two shows. Just these two things a lone make a huge difference.
It may turn into that if Pride/K1 starts offering UFC stars big money. Wait until their contracts are up.
They reason why Frank Mir is getting paid what he is getting paid right now is because after his contract was up with the UFC, PRIDE FC wanted to sign him. But the UFC gave him a raise and also the UFC is using Frank Mir as a PR Marketing person.
OMOPLATA,
Please tell us exactly what Pride fighters get paid. Everyone says that Pride pays so much more, but no one can prove it. Also, there was an article in FC FIghter about 6 months ago detailing massive pay cuts for fighters in Pride. Pride realized they were paying much more than anyone else and didn't need to.
CharlesFFA/AFA,
I've never heard someone explain it as well as you did. Pride takes UFC fighters (lots of leftovers that couldn't cut it in UFC anymore and a few greats are "stolen") and UFC takes Pride fighters (Hot fighters like Ricco (at the time) and also takes some Pride leftovers. Its all business.
The simple fact is that MMA in Japan is as popular as the NFL is here. How well do you think the NFL would do in Japan? Could NFL Japan complete with our NFL in terms of attendance and revenue? I don't think so.
OMOPLATA,
Also, comparing UFC to KOTC is silly. KOTC plays most fighters only a few hundred bucks to fight and win. UFC pays minimums of thousands just to fight.
Obviously everyone wants to make as much money as possible. So where ever the money is thats where they go. Fact is Jens Pulver was publically asking to come back to the UFC for the same money he was making when he left. It's not that he would rather fight in japan but that there is no place for him to make that kind of money in the USA. Is that the UFC's fault? I wouldn't call it a fault as I would call it business. They unfortunately can not afford to pay everyone alot, so people who they feel are worth alot but are in high demand they are forced to overpay in their own standards.
I think for the most part every fighter wants to fight all over the world in all different promotions. Fighters usually dont nutthug any particular promotion. That said it is every fighters dream to become famous and fight infront of his own country.
Paulio, I think comparing the pay from UFC and KOTC is fairly relative to the difference being paid between Pride and UFC. An entering fighter in the UFC looks to make a couple thousand dollars. In Pride, an entering fighter looks to make a substantial more. Don't just look to Pride though. Also look at the other Japanese organizations as well (pancrease, shooto, K-1, etc).
There was a really good thread a week ago regarding pay purses. I will ttt so we can look at it again. In the thread, there was an article posted from a fight magazine specifically addressing fight purses in USA v. Japan. It was real informative. I will ttt it right now.
The title of the thread is "Fight Purses in UFC v. Pride."
The title of this thread is just plain trollin.
I think fighters go from org to org because they want to fight! If they sit around waiting for the UFC or Pride to call,they could be in for a long wait. A fighters time/career in the ring is limited,so if they really want to fight, like Shannon and Jeremy, they take their fights whenever and wherever they can, regardless of which organization it's in. Plus they want and need the money! A lot of fighters have families to support.
UFC pays more than shooto.
"UFC pays more than Shooto."
Tell that to Jens Pulver.
There are some fighters in the ufc that get paid more than some fighters in pride... its the exception not the rule.
In the UFC the bigger fighters make the most money. In Japan they pay the smaller fighters better than the UFC do thats for sure. No one really cares about the smaller fighters over here and they won`t ever sell out a show because of it. You don`t go paying fighters who don`t put asses in the seats more than they are worth just because they are good. That is exactly why it doesn`t matter to the UFC when fighters like Pulver, Penn and Bustamante demand more money than they are worth compared to the fans they bring to the event.( especially Bustamante)They get paid for what they do ( bring in fans) not how good they are. No asses in the seats= Low Pay. Simple as that. Small fighters just don`t excite people in the USA like the big ones do. Never will either