Sean Strickland Addresses Fighter Pay, Advises Against MMA Career

[Kowboy On Sherdog]

UFC middleweight champ Sean Strickland wouldn’t advise anyone to take up fighting as a career.

Strickland, who is in known to speak his mind without hesitation on a variety of uncomfortable topics, recently touched upon the controversial topic of UFC fighter pay. Strickland joined UFC Hall of Famer Don Frye and “Extra Rounds” host T.J. DeSantis on a live broadcast for Professional Bull Riders (PBR), which is owned by the UFC parent company Endeavor.

Strickland started by asking Frye about the UFC fighter pay during his time, which was revealed to be $50,000 for tourney winners and $500 for everyone else. The middleweight champ then went on a long rant explaining why he advised a parent against letting his son take up fighting professionally.

“I was like, ‘You see the Contender [Series fighters], what do you think they make?’ And he goes, ‘I don’t know.’ I go, ‘They make [$5,000] and [$5,000]. If they lose, they make [$5,000].’ And he goes, ‘Damn.’ I go, ‘If you lose, guess what, you’re not going to UFC.’ So this entire life you could have spent building a life, doing any other aspect in life, you chose to train fighting.

“So let’s just say you make it now you make it to the UFC. Well, hey, guess what, what do you think they sign the average guy on? ... [$10,000] and [$10,000] for this man. So you make it to UFC, you get signed, 10 and 10, and now you fight for 10 and 10, and you’ve spent your entire life working for this one goal. You get the blue check mark, you get the UFC in your logo, you get all the people, you get all of it now. So you go 2-2 and maybe they’re boring fights, and the UFC cuts you, and now guess what? You have made a total of ... $60,000 your entire career, and you have no other option, because you can’t be a part-time fighter. You’ve got to be full time.

“So now you’re a 24-year-old man looking yourself in the mirror saying, ‘I spent my entire life doing this one thing and I’ve made $24,000, or $60,000. What do I do now? You go teach cardio kickboxing.”

Continue Reading
https://www.sherdog.com/news/news/S...Fighter-Pay-Advises-Against-MMA-Career-191550

 

[John makfresshi]

It’s simply about shared revenue for he athletes. They don’t get fair percentage in any MMA organization. Because the other major sports have player unions that make sure they are paid fair, fighters are just Dana’s puppets that he dances around with all the way to the bank! And Coker and OneFC guy are no better! FIGHTERS UNION OR BUST

 

[World eater]

I was contemplating becoming a fighter until my first tournament when an older guy kicked my ass from start to finish. Then I gave up the idea. Luckily, I was 13 years old.
Doing combat training as recreation and doing it for real are worlds apart. You have to have that fight spirit in you. It’s not about the money until waaaay later.

 

[Jorge Luis Borges]

The minimum for fighters has been static for a long time now. The lowest tier guys in the UFC have been at 10/10 or 12/12 since the Zuffa era. Low fighter pay was always easier to take when it was progressing.

 

[usernamee]

gotta love that the UFC cut the audio when he was going on his rant

"technical difficulties"

<45>

 

[Hey Soos]

The UFC for sure is going to force him to fight Khamzat for saying that.

 

[CasualBot]

 

[Paolo Delutis]

View attachment 1009302


UFC middleweight champ Sean Strickland wouldn’t advise anyone to take up fighting as a career.

Strickland, who is in known to speak his mind without hesitation on a variety of uncomfortable topics, recently touched upon the controversial topic of UFC fighter pay. Strickland joined UFC Hall of Famer Don Frye and “Extra Rounds” host T.J. DeSantis on a live broadcast for Professional Bull Riders (PBR), which is owned by the UFC parent company Endeavor.

Strickland started by asking Frye about the UFC fighter pay during his time, which was revealed to be $50,000 for tourney winners and $500 for everyone else. The middleweight champ then went on a long rant explaining why he advised a parent against letting his son take up fighting professionally.

“I was like, ‘You see the Contender [Series fighters], what do you think they make?’ And he goes, ‘I don’t know.’ I go, ‘They make [$5,000] and [$5,000]. If they lose, they make [$5,000].’ And he goes, ‘Damn.’ I go, ‘If you lose, guess what, you’re not going to UFC.’ So this entire life you could have spent building a life, doing any other aspect in life, you chose to train fighting.

“So let’s just say you make it now you make it to the UFC. Well, hey, guess what, what do you think they sign the average guy on? ... [$10,000] and [$10,000] for this man. So you make it to UFC, you get signed, 10 and 10, and now you fight for 10 and 10, and you’ve spent your entire life working for this one goal. You get the blue check mark, you get the UFC in your logo, you get all the people, you get all of it now. So you go 2-2 and maybe they’re boring fights, and the UFC cuts you, and now guess what? You have made a total of ... $60,000 your entire career, and you have no other option, because you can’t be a part-time fighter. You’ve got to be full time.

“So now you’re a 24-year-old man looking yourself in the mirror saying, ‘I spent my entire life doing this one thing and I’ve made $24,000, or $60,000. What do I do now? You go teach cardio kickboxing.”

Continue Reading
https://www.sherdog.com/news/news/S...Fighter-Pay-Advises-Against-MMA-Career-191550

How can u be in the UFC and still get the numbers wrong..

Isnt the minimum contract 12/12..

Fighter pay isnt the best but if that's what you want to do with your life and your great at it theres plenty of money to be made...

The revenue spilt is the real issue and lack of cohesion between the fighters on this topic

 

[Kowboy On Sherdog]

The minimum for fighters has been static for a long time now. The lowest tier guys in the UFC have been at 10/10 or 12/12 since the Zuffa era. Low fighter pay was always easier to take when it was progressing.

How can u be in the UFC and still get the numbers wrong..

Isnt the minimum contract 12/12..

Fighter pay isnt the best but if that's what you want to do with your life and your great at it theres plenty of money to be made...

The revenue spilt is the real issue and lack of cohesion between the fighters on this topic

Mandatory

 

[C0NCH3TO]

He’s not looking at the OPPORTUNITY.

 

[Area809]

This will never change. Why? Because fighters don’t push for change. This topic is tired.

 

[rear naked ankle pick]

Stop trying to get money for fighting people, MMA should be hobby. Just find a real job and fight on saturdays for fun. Why would u get millions of dollars just to fight 10minutes?

 

[big franklin]

Not denying what he saying... But ain't that pretty much the case for any major sport? You either make it big or you don't.

 

[USA!USA!]

They should but it is up to them to make that happen.

 

[Bushwhacker B]

If you go to law school but don't pass the bar, you don't get to practice law. Med school, similar deal. I guess the difference is that you don't have to absorb a bunch of headshots before you learn you don't have what it takes.

 

[MixMartialFarts]

"You go teach cardio kickboxing"
LOL perfect way to end it

 

[Qays Stetkevich]

I was contemplating becoming a fighter until my first tournament when an older guy kicked my ass from start to finish. Then I gave up the idea. Luckily, I was 13 years old.
Doing combat training as recreation and doing it for real are worlds apart. You have to have that fight spirit in you. It’s not about the money until waaaay later.

Aye. I was doing ammy fights a decade+ ago, and what made me decide not to go pro was all the stories from my coaches, friends, and training partners who were pro: the pay isn't great (coach was in UFC, twice), and the PRESSURE (mental, physical, career, finances, etc.,) per fight was crushing. You have to give 110% to the sport, and even then you're guaranteed absolutely nothing. I was serious at a point, but it came down to options: take a cushy managerial job at an educational software company (paid well, live on the beach in SoCal), or train and fight for a living. . . let's just say that I'm only training for fun these days, and mostly grappling.

 

[Qays Stetkevich]

If you go to law school but don't pass the bar, you don't get to practice law. Med school, similar deal. I guess the difference is that you don't have to absorb a bunch of headshots before you learn you don't have what it takes.

No, the difference is that if you REALLY want to pass the bar, unless you're a moron you can. The areas aren't even comparable. Same with med school (again, unless you're slow). With MMA, you can be gifted, give 110%, train with the best, etc., and never even take-off in your career or cover bills. Becoming a successful career-long MMA fighter is WAAAAAAAAAY harder than becoming a lawyer or doctor in terms of % of success.

 

[arcadeperfect]

If you go to law school but don't pass the bar, you don't get to practice law. Med school, similar deal. I guess the difference is that you don't have to absorb a bunch of headshots before you learn you don't have what it takes.

At least with your first examples you already have a university degree and a proper education. You can still find white collar jobs. If you were a crappy fighter you have nothing to fall back on. Chances are you aren't educated and you don't have any other marketable skills.

 

[TempleoftheDog]

It’s simply about shared revenue for he athletes. They don’t get fair percentage in any MMA organization. Because the other major sports have player unions that make sure they are paid fair, fighters are just Dana’s puppets that he dances around with all the way to the bank! And Coker and OneFC guy are no better! FIGHTERS UNION OR BUST

It’s the only way.

But a lot of the fighters make good money. Even the journeymen. Angie Hill is up somewhere in the 120K/120K range. Plus 30K Venum money each fight. Even losing 3 fights per year she is making in the area of close to 500K. And each fight she wins adds another 120K. That is NOT chicken feed.

She has made herself valuable to the UFC. Take the fight. One month notice, one week notice, one day notice. Take the fight.

But until you’ve hit your plateau that may not be the best idea. And of course they can cut you on any loss. It’s a tricky position to be in.

A union is the only thing other than legislation that will change anything. But even people like Angie might not be willing to go on strike.

Let alone the top 5 fighters in each division. They are making even more money. Some of them make enough money in one fight to fight only once or twice per year.

And the champions are not going on strike. They actually get more money. It’s not boxing money, and I don’t think it ever will be. Even with a union. But getting $2M+ per fight is a lot of money compared to what most people make. Because lots of pro athletes aren’t making millions per year. It’s only the highest levels of major sports making that money. The big leagues of the top 5 team sports.

I doubt too many top 5 fighters would actually be willing to go on strike. But without legislation a strike is the only hope for a union. And unless the upper echelons of paid fighters would actually go on strike. Nothing will change.

It’s easy to say they should strike. But it has to be their choice. And it has to be complete. The entire roster ESPECIALLY the highest top 2, or 3 rungs on the pay ladder have to walk out too.