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

[IDL]

The real problem is that most of the UFC profits are going to pay off the debt/interest from the massive purchase of the company. So the fighters don't see their fair share.

The fighters should absolutely get together and unionize, demanding that a guaranteed % of the profits go to the fighters. This would of course bankrupt the UFC due to their massive debt payments, but so be it. Either another company would buy the UFC cheap, or another organization would rise to take its place.

Sadly unionizing is easier said than done. You basically need all the big MMA fighters to sign on, and you need to be willing to strike. That means people living on fight-to-fight paychecks won't be able to pay their rent, which is gonna be a problem for a lot of people. So you need a "war chest" of funds to help people survive. It can be a mess for contract fighters like in the UFC.

You actually think bankrupting the UFC and having it go under would be best for the fighters? Bizarre.

 

[avenue94]

The UFC's two all-time biggest stars fought 3 times each in 2015 (McGregor and Rousey). Every main event in 2015 was big except for two cards headlined by DJ. All that, and the UFC still paid fighters 32.5 million more in 2022.

And if we calculate inflation? How many companies are productive and taking in far more revenue, but paying their workers the same seven years later?

 

[Trabaho]

So they kept like 60 % of profits. Sounds way better then 13 % of revenue.

 

[avenue94]

You actually think bankrupting the UFC and having it go under would be best for the fighters? Bizarre.

Why would it be bad long term? The market would move on, just like it does in any other industry when a firm goes under. Unless you're arguing that the UFC is somehow paying above market rate out of the kindness of their hearts.

 

[cade187]

I didn't see the insinuation that fighters took pay cuts, but I saw the clear reporting that, despite making way more $ today, they pay out a lower % to fighters - I thought that was the point they were making.

Am I missing where they claimed/insinuated that fighters were specifically taking pay cuts? Not being facetious - I skimmed it but I never got that impression. I'm wondering if ppl are making strawman arguments or if this claim was actually made.

It's ambiguous wording that provokes people into making that assumption: "The UFC are making more money and paying fighters less." It's the headline of their presentation. "13% share? UFC fighters paid even less, profits skyrocket over every fight promoter combined."

 

[duke_droese]

You actually think bankrupting the UFC and having it go under would be best for the fighters? Bizarre.

Yes.

Competing promotion companies with a single world belt organisation would be much better for fighters.

If UFC doesn't start operating like the NFL etc, they need to go for the sport to grow. They're trying to force the fighters to be employees without any benefits.

 

[Blastbeat]

What do you think a freshly signed fighter is owed? That brings zero to the table and basically is only filling out the prelims? 100k? You're an idiot if you think that and your business wouldn't last a year

you didnt address any of my points or refute anything i said. stop changing the subject and refute any of the points i made, if you can.

if the UFC is incapable of paying their athletes a proper wage, they should allow the athletes to advertise sponsors on their shorts for more money, no? but they dont. so then compensate the fighters more!
the median annual salary in the USA is roughly $56k a year. fighters should be paid that or close to that, per year, if they fight according to their contractual obligations. 3 fights a year at 10show/10win only is 30k before taxes. and this is excluding expenses unique to the profession of an MMA fighter.
either that, or fire half of the bloated roster so that they can pay the athletes they have more, and the people who got fired can go make decent pay elsewhere. i fail to see any answers here that dont end with "the UFC is greedy".

 

[El Fernas]

How much is a entry level fighter due that brings in zero dollars to the company though? 15/15k sounds fair if you fight 3 times a year and win you make more than 65.6 % of Americans do.

What do you pay them if it's you and your business and money

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.

 

[Municipal Waste]

Disugsting..... when is the next super fight?

 

[Blastbeat]

I'm also not sure what Walmart cashiers have to do with facepunching.

you ever been to a Walmart? if you have, youd know.

 

[cade187]

And if we calculate inflation? How many companies are productive and taking in far more revenue, but paying their workers the same seven years later?

I don't know how much average median wages would have increased from 2015 to 2022, but that's 28% wage growth for UFC fighters on average, with their biggest stars not fighting in 2022. I know in my line of work my wages haven't increased 28% since 2022. If you're trying to make the argument that 28% is low, then show your work.

 

[avenue94]

you ever been to a Walmart? if you have, youd know.

They too have two eyeballs and a mouth, like most fighters?

 

[IDL]

Yes.

Competing promotion companies with a single world belt organisation would be much better for fighters.

If UFC doesn't start operating like the NFL etc, they need to go for the sport to grow. They're trying to force the fighters to be employees without any benefits.

But the sport is growing. Look at the last 15 years of growth the UFC has been instrumental in with no signs of slowing down. It's actually pretty insane how much it has grown. Not just UFC but the sport in general largely do to the exposure of the UFC.

But anyways, it sounds like you would prefer a structure more like boxing. I think that could be beneficial for the top 1% of fighters since the promotions would have to compete for star power and build cards around it for marketing, but developing under-card fighters not so much.

Bankrupting the UFC would lower the price of fighters initially since the entire roster would be on the market looking for work, and the UFC marketting machine would die, lowering the profile of the sport in general, but over the long term it's pretty speculative.

The strategy of burning it all down and assuming something better will rise in the ashes is an easy strategy to take if you aren't accountable for the damage and aren't affected by the outcome.

 

[avenue94]

I don't know how much average median wages would have increased from 2015 to 2022, but that's 28% wage growth for UFC fighters on average, with their biggest stars not fighting in 2022. I know in my line of work my wages haven't increased 28% since 2022. If you're trying to make the argument that 28% is low, then show your work.

US median household income was $55,775 in 2015, it was $70,784 in 2022, so it's up almost 30%, if you're not worried about methodological differences between the census and community survey. I'm too lazy to check individual income.

My point is, your napkin math was glossing over that by nearly every metric financially, UFC fighters are more productive in 2022 than in 2015. Yet they've seen effectively no real growth in compensation.

I don't know what line of work you are in, but I'm gonna wager that you and your fellow employees, like most employees, are nowhere near as economically productive as fighters are collectively, yet probably receive a higher wage share.

 

[2004 account]

So flat rate of 80k? That would sound pretty generous for a person that not single person knows nor bought tickets to see

Perhaps 50k would be fair. I know it wont hurt the ufcs bottom line if they did.

 

[avenue94]

But the sport is growing. Look at the last 15 years of growth the UFC has been instrumental in with no signs of slowing down. It's actually pretty insane how much it has grown. Not just UFC but the sport in general largely do to the exposure of the UFC.

This is just bad economics. Competition drives growth, it's a bit odd to assert that a market with limited competition is more dynamic and better for consumers than a competitive market.

But anyways, it sounds like you would prefer a structure more like boxing. I think that could be beneficial for the top 1% of fighters since the promotions would have to compete for star power and build cards around it for marketing, but developing under-card fighters not so much

There's room for a middle ground here. Ultimately, what you want as a fan is as much labor mobility as possible. Boxers aren't usually the reason big fights don't happen, it's promoters and networks who want exclusivity.

 

[Uber_Noober]

 

[IDL]

This is just bad economics. Competition drives growth, it's a bit odd to assert that a market with limited competition is more dynamic and better for consumers than a competitive market.

There's room for a middle ground here. Ultimately, what you want as a fan is as much labor mobility as possible. Boxers aren't usually the reason big fights don't happen, it's promoters and networks who want exclusivity.

You said that the UFC had to die in order for the sport to grow. My response was to that assertion. The UFC clearly has been and is growing and the sport itself benefit by the UFC marketing machine exposing MMA to larger audiences in the main stream.

As a fan, the UFC is a fantastic product. They are the biggest most prestigious title and they are able to have the best fighters fight each other (assuming they can sign the fighters which they usually can). And they put on a lot of events (not all great, but hey)

I don't think the argument is about what fans want though it's more about what is best for fighters. What is best for fans may not be best for fighters.

 

[burningspear]

 

[Rizzo]

This is why I haven’t paid for a PPV in years but will always gladly pay for regional events. When the cartel starts paying their fights actual livable wages besides the very top guys then they will see a lot more of the hardcore and lifetime fans like me throw back into the pot.