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

cade187 said:
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.
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Fair, it’s potentially misleading depending on how they’re presenting the info. However, no matter how you slice it, the UFC is making more money than ever and the fighters are pocketing a smaller percentage now than they were 8 years ago. They’re also more restricted in their ability supplement their earnings via sponsorships now. They also have more fighters under contract and run more events per year than they did in 2015 so even if the fighters received 148.2 million total, that number is likely split among a larger stable of fighters.

what’s unassailably true is that an 87/13 revenue split is a goddamn travesty.
 
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They better get to organizing and strike then. Not much is going to change if you don’t do something to force them. Whining to media isn’t going to do it. And simply just taking things to court is going to take decades. There really isn’t anything we can do as fans outside of completely boycott paying for the broadcast but that is highly unlikely to happen. The fighters are going to have to take a risk and organize.
 
HHJ said:
Two people.

And thats not the half of the shit he's done.

PRIDEFC (as well as other japanese promotions) are also way more corrupt than anything the UFC ever dream of doing.
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Fighters should be paid more. UFC is likely a monosopy but…

I hate went people go overboard with statements like this.

There is no need to exaggerate when the facts are on your side
 
Private Whatley said:
Fair, it’s potentially misleading depending on how they’re presenting the info. However, no matter how you slice it, the UFC is making more money than ever and the fighters are pocketing a smaller percentage now than they were 7 years ago. They’re also more restricted in their ability supplement their earnings via sponsorships now. They also have more fighters under contract and run more events per year than they did in 2015 so even if the fighters received 148.2 million total, that number is likely split among a larger stable of fighters.

what’s unassailably true is that an 87/13 revenue split is a goddamn travesty.
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The UFC signed the Reebok deal in 2014, so they had the same sponsorship opportunities in 2015 as they do now. In 2022 the UFC hosted 42 events, one more than the 41 they hosted in 2015, but one less than they hosted in 2021 at 43. The number of events per year peaked in 2014 at 46.
 
Crazy, who would have ever thought that a company would prioritize building itself up over its employees and make the company a successful, world wide company that can continuously pay their employees more and more over the years. Also, like most companies, the employees that bring in the best business never complain about their pay. Strange, isn't it?
 
Not saying the UFC doesn't fuckin' scam costs left and right but ...

cade187 said:
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.
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<PlusJuan>

Glad someone else caught that immediately.

Fuckin' grade school math.
 
cade187 said:
The UFC signed the Reebok deal in 2014, so they had the same sponsorship opportunities in 2015 as they do now. In 2022 the UFC hosted 42 events, one more than the 41 they hosted in 2015, but one less than they hosted in 2021 at 43. The number of events per year peaked in 2014 at 46.
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interesting. I figured that there were more events nowadays seeing as there’s a weekend card more often than not. What about the roster size?
 
D 1 Wrestler said:
Let me know when the athletes go on strike to form a union like every Major sport that preceded them .
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Exactly, if they the fighters won't stand up for themselves to get better pay why should we give two fucks? The onus is on them to organise and band together and until they do this greed by the UFC will continue.
 
Ozze said:
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.
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cade187 said:
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.
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Agreed with both of you. Setting up strawmen that any highschool kid with a calculator could set aflame does more HARM to their cause than it helps. UFC can and will easily refute the lack of logic and make MMAFA look silly, further delaying any progress towards the goal of increased fighter pay. I guess this could be the necessary first step in forming a fighter union, but they need more collective brain power for any shot at success.

homer-simpson-zombies.gif
 
D 1 Wrestler said:
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
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Yeah the fighters dont seem to care enough to do anything about it so why should I?

If they get together and demand more I'm with them, go for it but they dont.

Media seems to care more than fighters do.
 
El Fernas said:
Its not 15k/15k, its more like 10k/10k at the bottom, having a "show/win" pay scheme is a total scam, surely it might motivate some to win, thing is...they are already trying to win!!! Its their career, you wont get too far if you dont win fights, preferably all of them, they dont need that kind of motivation, winning and advancing in your career its already enough motivation, they need a fair wage, show and win should go away, make it flat 15k-20k at the lowest level, im not asking for 50k for a prelim fighter.
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I agree
 
avenue94 said:
What percentage of that goes to being double taxed as a contractor, having to purchase healthcare and put money in retirement, and then expenses?

I love how you are comparing employee and IC pay without realizing the difference.
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They aren't double taxed my god. So what does a fresh signed fighter deserve with no fan base? 100k a fight? You sound ridiculous. I make 54k a yr and still pay taxes and my own insurance so yeah they are doimg ok
 
avenue94 said:
You're contradicting yourself. Do you want people to be paid based on their economic value, or out of a moral concept like fairness?

A Walmart store manager will outearn most UFC fighters while being significantly less economically productive. I'm also not sure what Walmart cashiers have to do with facepunching.
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That's capitalism my friend.. you earn more with demand of a product/fighter you seem to struggle with this concept for some reason
 
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