How long before the ufc starts paying their fighters a fair salary?

Question

The UFC is just greedy. They make 40 million in payper view revenue alone on the Lidell vs Jackson fight and pay these guys a combined 750k. It seems like the fighters are only getting like 2% of total revenue. Most other sports the players get more like 50%. The fighters are already starting to figure this out too with Randy Cotoure and Tito Ortiz leaving. It would only make sense that Dana White makes some substantial changes or else the fighters will be forming a union and taking alot more money.

Answer 1

the ufc is the best option out there, they may not make as much as you think in salary but bonuses and incentives  PLUS all the sponsorships they get, a fighter can make a lot of money. frank mir made 80 000 for only having one sponsor on his shorts when he fought brock lesnar. he made i belive 40 000  for the fight and another 40 000 win bonus and i think like 60 000 for submission of the night. dont get me wrong there is more money to be made but the sport is new and the owners have to care of themselves before they can REALLY start paying the fighters like other sports. think about it, the ufc didnt really blow up until just a few years ago. how long have the 5 major sports been around?

Answer 2

Ummm won't matter now I'm afraid, UFC stirred a hornets nest in Affliction and I think we will see most of their fighters going to Affliction once their contracts are up.

Answer 3

The better the figher performs, the more they get paid. They do get paid bonuses to win. They also get bonuses for submission of the night, fight of the night, and knockout of the night. MMA is still a young sport. As it gets more popular, fighters will get paid. They also do get paid by sponsors as well. Well this problem will be fixed soon as Affliction was able to pay their fighters a lot of money as well. Just give it time and fighters will get paid. Just remember how far we've come since UFC 1. That was just a tournament for $50,000 for 3 wins. Now we have fighers making much more than that per fight. Oh yeah, I forgot. Zuffa does pay extra for great performances under the table as well. Couture and Ortiz may have left due to contract issues but others like Matt Hughes and Chuck Liddell are quite happy where they are.

Answer 4

Why don't you stop worrying about how much they're getting paid and go train? I think only martial artist should be allowed in the martial arts section.

Answer 5

You are wrong.  it is the athletes in other pro sports that are incredibly OVER paid!  

By the way, the big 4 professional sports leagues (NFL, NBA, MLB, and NHL) are all legally exempt from anti-monopoly rules.  Moreover, they all receive HUGE government subsidies, amounting to hundreds of millions of dollars per year!  Without these subsidies, none of those leagues would make a profit.  That means YOUR tax money is going to pay part of A-Rod's salary!  

I give Dana White all the credit in the world for making the UFC profitable without any of the corporate welfare that the other big pro sports get.

Answer 6

Couture left. Sylvia left. Ortiz left.

Fedor will never sign with them. Hellboy will never sign with them. Kid will never sign with them.

And the answer to your question is never. They will never pay their fighters a fair salary.

EDIT: It's hilarious that you have people bring up sponsorships. Bad idea. What happened to the BIGGEST sponsor of fighters of the sport? The one company that was far and beyond paying the fighters well more than any other? Oh yeah, they were banned. Banned from sponsoring fighters. Lol. Don't bring up sponsorships as a supplement to fighter pay when UFC® bans the aforementioned on the regular. It makes you look stupid. And like a TUFfanboy™.

E

Answer 7

i wish I could make that money

Answer 8

If you were to own a business, wouldn't you like to make money? That is what the UFC is doing. Any start up business, money is tight and you have to build capitol first. The UFC fighters are making more money than before. 3 or 4 yrs ago, there were no bonuses, now there is fight of the night, knock out of the night, submission of the night, etc... in addition to their purse. In my opinion, I like the way UFC pays their fighters, because you have to earn it. I wouldn't want somebody, baseball for example, for someone to make thousands of dollars and just mail it in once in awhile. By getting paid incentive bonuses, it only makes sense for an exciting fight. As the sport grows and the UFC fighters will get paid their money. Affliction did make a strong first show, but they still lost money (millions). In baseball for instance, that is why they have "small market" teams that their payroll isn't as much as other teams. Just give it time, the fighters will get paid.

Answer 9

FACT:  In the last 3 years, since the debut of TUF Season 1,  UFC fighter salaries have risen by 1000%.

Just 4 years ago, the promotion was losing money.  

These things take time.  The UFC is taking care of their fighters.  Too many people have the wrong perception and have no business sense.

James

Answer 10

$200,000 for 70seconds work isnt "fair"?????   like that uther guy said,,,,$54,000,000 for 4 years of catching a ball is overpaid,,,, you dont and shouldent get paid for training etc,,, you get paid to FIGHT,,, more if you win,,,,thats fair to me,,, thousands for a max of 15minits work a month is plenty

couture left cuz he wanted fedor,,, good reason to me

ortiz "left"cuz she's an arogant mouthrunner that was getn whooped by the best fighters

silva was a money thing,,,he drew fans in with his fights and helped build the sport,,,then got mad a poser like Lesner got millions without working for them,, i understand and will miss him in UFC,,

you want fair??? help grow the sport!!  buy MMA sponsers clothing etc...... buy the PPVs,,,,, spread the word to any and everyone about how great this sport is,,, i talk to tons of people about MMA and UFC all the time,,,  throw a sticker on yur car or wear a shirt with a MMA website on it,,, do SOMTHING uther than cry about it on ? sites,,,,

Answer 11

I really don't care. I really want organizations to have balance of power and UFC has too much power right now. Before Pride got bought out, the power was balanced, but ever since then, UFC was the main power house. For the sake of MMA, I hope UFC loses some power cuz I really want diversity and more popularity of the ring rather than the cage. That and I want Dana to be pissed off cuz he's a jackass.