UFC corruption makes Don King look like Santa Claus, MMA fighters tell ABC

[2004 account]

What the MMAFA said about the UFC
The MMAFA, an organization founded by lawyer Rob Maysey which counts former UFC fighters among its members, told the ABC that the UFC dominates the sport of MMA, makes more money than anyone else in combat sports and has done so through exploiting fighters and corrupting the sport itself.

Here are some of their specific claims:

The UFC are making more money and paying fighters less
In 2015 the UFC generated $609 million in revenue. The promotion shared around 19% of that revenue with fighters.
Fake MMA Fans Guide to UFC 291

Vegas-Presentation-ABC-2023-1Download
What the MMAFA said about the UFC
The MMAFA, an organization founded by lawyer Rob Maysey which counts former UFC fighters among its members, told the ABC that the UFC dominates the sport of MMA, makes more money than anyone else in combat sports and has done so through exploiting fighters and corrupting the sport itself.

Here are some of their specific claims:

The UFC are making more money and paying fighters less
In 2015 the UFC generated $609 million in revenue. The promotion shared around 19% of that revenue with fighters.


In 2022 the UFC made $1.14 billion. Despite that massive jump in revenue, the percentage fighters received that year fell to around 13%.

The MMAFA also shared (citing Bloody Elbow’s John S. Nash) that UFC fighter pay in 2016 was around $148 million and that this actually decreased in 2022, with an estimated $146 million going to fighters.

The MMAFA told the ABC that the UFC made a net profit of $387 million in 2022 and that this is likely more than all other MMA and boxing promotions combined. In that claim they reported that Eddie Hearn’s Macthroom Boxing made $14 million in profits for 2022.

Dana White, Ari Emanuel and the Fertittas always win
The slideshow also made the claim that UFC President Dana White, Endeavour CEO Ari Emanuel and former ZUFFA owners Lorenzo Fertitta and Frank Fertitta “have made more [money] than all fighters in UFC history combined.”


How the UFC ‘corrupted’ MMA
The presentation also detailed the structure of MMA and explained how that has allowed the UFC to became so powerful in the marketplace.

That section of the presentation picked out moments from UFC history to illustrate how the promotion controlled its fighters and, in some cases, used them against each other.

One such incident is Gray Maynard disclosing that former UFC matchmaker Joe Silva told him to break Roger Huerta’s arm. Huerta had a fractious relationship with the UFC, going from Sports Illustrated cover-boy and main eventer to being kept on the sidelines and eventually released from the company.

Continued in link

https://bloodyelbow.com/2023/08/03/mmafa-presentation-abc-ufc-corruption/

Not shocking news but truly dispicable to find out some new bits of info about the ufcs corruption. I think its almost indefensible by now, even by hardcore ufc fans...supporting ufc is basically hurting the sport of mma indirectly at this point imo.

 

[NewLockGuy]

Oh yeah, fuck face joe blow knows the extent of the mafia controlling boxing back in the 1930's and what not. What an educated spin on things.

 

[JustBleed69]

Sickening.

It doesn't matter what data or evidence you show either, some people will still take the company & the corporate bastards side.

 

[don't ask]

The UFC is garbage and malevolent in much of its actions.

I hope this group succeeds in their goals.

 

[don't ask]

Sickening.

It doesn't matter what data or evidence you show either, some people will still take the company & the corporate bastards side.

some people have made it their identity to defend the worst people and actions in every situation. I can't think of a sadder recreation.

 

[D 1 Wrestler]

What the MMAFA said about the UFC
The MMAFA, an organization founded by lawyer Rob Maysey which counts former UFC fighters among its members, told the ABC that the UFC dominates the sport of MMA, makes more money than anyone else in combat sports and has done so through exploiting fighters and corrupting the sport itself.

Here are some of their specific claims:



Continued in link

https://bloodyelbow.com/2023/08/03/mmafa-presentation-abc-ufc-corruption/

Not shocking news but truly dispicable to find out some new bits of info about the ufcs corruption. I think its almost indefensible by now, even by hardcore ufc fans...supporting ufc is basically hurting the sport of mma indirectly at this point imo.

Let me know when the athletes go on strike to form a union like every Major sport that preceded them .

Until then don't care because absolutely nothing will change until that happens no matter how much you cry and white knight

 

[Clark Rogers]

Shits obviously fucked up but it isn't as simple as x million this year, y less the next, when 1 guy (ie: McGregor) can tip that scale significantly.

Who fights every year, and how many times, has a bigger impact on these numbers than these 'averages' care to consider.

That isn't defending the pay, it needs increased clearly, but the math isn't as simple as many make it appear

 

[Ozze]

My two cents. I'm all for the UFC paying more, specially to it's base fighters so they can really live of the sport with some comfort, but the people fighting against them need to be more professional.

That PowerPoint looked awful, "Dana makes Don King looks like Santa Claus", photo of someone's yatch and all of that make it look more like whining than some serious accusation.

Forget about how much the Fertittas or Dana made with the sale, or how the fuck they spend their money, just focus on what is needed to the fighters.

 

[cade187]

I don't know where they came up with their math, but 19% of 609 million is 115.7 million. 13% of 1.14 billion is 148.2 million. As a percentage of total revenue, yes, that's less, but in actual dollar figures paid to fighters that's 32.5 million more. Plus it's already been pointed out that Conor McGregor has a warping effect on fighter pay because he's paid so much. Conor fought 3 times in 2015, and 0 times in 2022.

These articles are trying to make it sound like fighters took a pay cut, while almost everyone who was fighting for the UFC in 2015 that is still there now makes more money now. The percentage dropped because the UFC made more money, not because fighters' wages got cut.

I'm all for fighters making more money, but let's be honest about the data we're discussing.

 

[Pechan]

Sounds like a great business.

 

[kingofthecans]

So far the UFC hasn't killed anyone that we know of.

 

[Ozze]

Shits obviously fucked up but it isn't as simple as x million this year, y less the next, when 1 guy (ie: McGregor) can tip that scale significantly.

Who fights every year, and how many times, has a bigger impact on these numbers than these 'averages' care to consider.

That isn't defending the pay, it needs increased clearly, but the math isn't as simple as many make it appear

Specially since that can be the case of "we are actually paying more (ex.: base pay was X now it's 2X) but just putting on more fights with this base pay (Contender series guys for example).

They need to do a better job with numbers. Basically all that was there was stuff that's in the media for sometime now.

 

[Brigfa2]

Sickening.

It doesn't matter what data or evidence you show either, some people will still take the company & the corporate bastards side.

No need to take anyone's side, both sides are strangers to me.

 

[Brigfa2]

some people have made it their identity to defend the worst people and actions in every situation. I can't think of a sadder recreation.

Some people are born to give rimjob to some random athletes/celebrities
I don't owe shit to those fighters, just like i don't owe anything to butcher when i buy meat. If you are that great human being, there are so much worse shit happening in the world, focus on that not some privileged fighters.

 

[avenue94]

Oh yeah, fuck face joe blow knows the extent of the mafia controlling boxing back in the 1930's and what not. What an educated spin on things.

Yeah thank god, the Fertitas weren't about that mob life.

 

[MuffinsAppletree]

Dana said fighting in the ufc is an opportunity……



KenFlo

 

[markys00]

Yet they still pay more than any mma org. And probably more on average than boxing. What a sham

 

[markys00]

I don't know where they came up with their math, but 19% of 609 million is 115.7 million. 13% of 1.14 billion is 148.2 million. As a percentage of total revenue, yes, that's less, but in actual dollar figures paid to fighters that's 32.5 million more. Plus it's already been pointed out that Conor McGregor has a warping effect on fighter pay because he's paid so much. Conor fought 3 times in 2015, and 0 times in 2022.

These articles are trying to make it sound like fighters took a pay cut, while almost everyone who was fighting for the UFC in 2015 that is still there now makes more money now. The percentage dropped because the UFC made more money, not because fighters' wages got cut.

I'm all for fighters making more money, but let's be honest about the data we're discussing.

No Dana is the devil!

You can not be rational here on sherdog. Dana needs more snow in his driveway!

420 blaze it111!!!!!

 

[avenue94]

Yet they still pay more than any mma org. And probably more on average than boxing. What a sham

Amazon also pays more than most local warehouses. If only they still taught basic econ in school: competition drives wages, if you reduce competition, it suppresses wages over the long haul. Your inability to see the bigger picture and grasp long-term trends is impressive.

 

[Sir Punchalot]

Imagine being such a fucking lowlife that you side with the company and not the fighters on this.