UFC Fighter Salaries
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UFC Fighter Salaries
hails
3/7/08 3:39:25AM
I have some serious issues with the fighter salaries in the UFC.
To start with lets have a look at the announced salaries for UFC 82, I do understand that this does not cover sponsors and bonuses.
But Anderson Silva is being spoken about as the best P4P fighter in the world and he was paid $140,000.
And Heath Herring, the jury is still out on him as a fighter, but he was paid $140,000 as well.
How can this be? Silva is able to headline a UFC card, and IMO Herring is not yet worthy of being the 2nd most important fight of the night!!!
AA got $170,000 and Jake O'Brian was paid $11,000.
Each UFC card throws up these types of issues!!!
How can this be!!!
The UFC needs to sort this out and Dana while you are at it bring in rankings so I will know if x beats y he will get a title shot!!!!
To start with lets have a look at the announced salaries for UFC 82, I do understand that this does not cover sponsors and bonuses.
But Anderson Silva is being spoken about as the best P4P fighter in the world and he was paid $140,000.
And Heath Herring, the jury is still out on him as a fighter, but he was paid $140,000 as well.
How can this be? Silva is able to headline a UFC card, and IMO Herring is not yet worthy of being the 2nd most important fight of the night!!!
AA got $170,000 and Jake O'Brian was paid $11,000.
Each UFC card throws up these types of issues!!!
How can this be!!!
The UFC needs to sort this out and Dana while you are at it bring in rankings so I will know if x beats y he will get a title shot!!!!
Rich78
3/7/08 6:44:16AM
I agree with you, but (with regard to Silva and Herring) they'll both be being paid what was negotiated in their contracts when they signed them.
I.e. Heath Herring was one of the first to come over from Pride, where he was a relative big name so his pay reflects that. By contrast, although no doubting his talent, Silva was viewed as something of a journeyman, who they acquired from Cage Rage.
If they were both to renegotiate now, I'm pretty sure Silva would be the higher earner of the 2. But thats why UFC have multi-fight contracts, Dana ain't stupid, hence it's much more often that people will be being paid LESS than the level they're performing to than the other way round, eg. AA & CroCop.
I.e. Heath Herring was one of the first to come over from Pride, where he was a relative big name so his pay reflects that. By contrast, although no doubting his talent, Silva was viewed as something of a journeyman, who they acquired from Cage Rage.
If they were both to renegotiate now, I'm pretty sure Silva would be the higher earner of the 2. But thats why UFC have multi-fight contracts, Dana ain't stupid, hence it's much more often that people will be being paid LESS than the level they're performing to than the other way round, eg. AA & CroCop.
whardin19
3/7/08 7:08:23AM
Ok, I'm getting tired of people bitching and complaining about fighter salaries on here. Let me just explain a little about why I feel this way. First of all These fighters signed these contracts so they have no room to bitch about them, nor do we. As for how much there paid. Lets take for example Arlovski since he's a free agent now. Lets say the UFC offers him 170,000 a fight again. That's a pretty big salary for fighting. But another company offers him 400,000 or higher a fight. They both offer him the same number of fights. We all know UFC is a proven company now and is going to be around for a long while. But, what's to say the company that offers him 400,000 a fight isn't going to tank after one show? What happens then Arlovski is never going to see the rest of the money because they won't have any shows to put him on. Just because these new companies are desperate for fighters and spend this huge amount of money doesn't mean these guys are going to see that money if the company tanks. Which most likely it will paying that much to fighters. This is a business boys. Just because a figthers good doesn't mean he deserves a huge amount of money that will breakt he company. Thats my point.
Rich78
3/7/08 7:56:36AM
Easy tiger, I merely addressed why Herring is getting paid more than Silva.
Although what you say is right, I could still see room for improvement with their payscale IF what we saw was what they were getting. But due to the additional undisclosed payments that Dana often refers to, I don't think it is.
But it is all down to contracts really and when they respective fighters signed them. You can't sign a contract, then bitch about it afterwards when your situation changes. Unless of course your surname is Couture....
Although what you say is right, I could still see room for improvement with their payscale IF what we saw was what they were getting. But due to the additional undisclosed payments that Dana often refers to, I don't think it is.
But it is all down to contracts really and when they respective fighters signed them. You can't sign a contract, then bitch about it afterwards when your situation changes. Unless of course your surname is Couture....
SmileR
3/7/08 8:52:52AM
Posted by Rich78
Easy tiger, I merely addressed why Herring is getting paid more than Silva.
Although what you say is right, I could still see room for improvement with their payscale IF what we saw was what they were getting. But due to the additional undisclosed payments that Dana often refers to, I don't think it is.
But it is all down to contracts really and when they respective fighters signed them. You can't sign a contract, then bitch about it afterwards when your situation changes. Unless of course your surname is Couture....
I think Herring was still under his Pride contract where as Silva is a zuffa one.
Silva makes more anyway due to the way he fights. He picked up the fight f the night and sub of the night bonuses which pretty much doubled his pay check.
JWils
3/7/08 9:07:05AM
Posted by hails
I have some serious issues with the fighter salaries in the UFC.
To start with lets have a look at the announced salaries for UFC 82, I do understand that this does not cover sponsors and bonuses.
But Anderson Silva is being spoken about as the best P4P fighter in the world and he was paid $140,000.
And Heath Herring, the jury is still out on him as a fighter, but he was paid $140,000 as well.
How can this be? Silva is able to headline a UFC card, and IMO Herring is not yet worthy of being the 2nd most important fight of the night!!!
AA got $170,000 and Jake O'Brian was paid $11,000.
Each UFC card throws up these types of issues!!!
How can this be!!!
The UFC needs to sort this out and Dana while you are at it bring in rankings so I will know if x beats y he will get a title shot!!!!
They are not being paid on a fight by fight basis. They have contracts with the UFC.
ToeZup
3/7/08 2:32:22PM
^^^ Love the icon. That is true.
Plus these guys make a lot of money from sponsorships.
Over $1,000 for every 5X5 logo on them. I know all about it. My company ToeZup sponsors fighters.
Plus these guys make a lot of money from sponsorships.
Over $1,000 for every 5X5 logo on them. I know all about it. My company ToeZup sponsors fighters.
KnockDownDragOut
3/7/08 5:52:11PM
Two things ...
1) Why should what a guy makes in sponsorships matter at all? What they make fromt he fighting organization contractually and the sponsorship dollars they make are two completely separate things. I don't think any organization or league says to a guy "well, you make a lot in sponsorships so we're not going to pay you as much."
2) To the initial post, as much as a lot of people don't like Tito Ortiz, wasn't this one of his biggest issues (at least when his animosity started)? Wasn't it all about the UFC not taking care of their fighters, especially their top guys, like they should?
I do agree, however, that when you sign a contract you can't come complain about it later ... it was your hand, your pen and your signature that locked up the deal.
1) Why should what a guy makes in sponsorships matter at all? What they make fromt he fighting organization contractually and the sponsorship dollars they make are two completely separate things. I don't think any organization or league says to a guy "well, you make a lot in sponsorships so we're not going to pay you as much."
2) To the initial post, as much as a lot of people don't like Tito Ortiz, wasn't this one of his biggest issues (at least when his animosity started)? Wasn't it all about the UFC not taking care of their fighters, especially their top guys, like they should?
I do agree, however, that when you sign a contract you can't come complain about it later ... it was your hand, your pen and your signature that locked up the deal.
telnights
3/7/08 6:51:20PM
God this is getting old.
1. The fighters signed a contract for what they are being payed.
2. There are things we don't see as far as pay goes some fighters get part of the PPV. Some have bonus written in to their contract for things. We only see the base pay and that is it.
3. The UFC has proven time and time again they are the top paying MMA org around. Almost all the old Pride fighters have said they are making a lot more now than they did with Pride. Look at the payouts from EliteXC and you will see what I am talking about.
# Kevin Ferguson ($175,000) def. David Abbott ($126,000)
# Antonio Silva ($80,000) def. Ricco Rodriguez ($20,000)
# Scott Smith ($12,000) def. Kyle Noke ($3,000)
# Yves Edwards ($6,000) def. Edson Berto ($6,000)
# Brett Rogers ($4,000) def. James Thompson ($25,000)
# Rafael Feijao ($6,000) def. John Doyle ($2,5O0)
# Yosmany Cabezas ($2,000) def. Jon Kirk ($2,500)
# Dave Herman ($1,500) def. Mario Rinaldi ($2,000)
# Eric Bradley ($1,000) def. Mikey Gomez ($1,500)
# Lorenzo Borgomeo ($1,000) def. Mike Bernhard ($1,500)
# Moyses Gabin ($1)* def. Jirka Hlavati ($500)
They payed Kevin Ferguson more money than anyone on the card as far as these numbers show. One guy got payed $1 (and he won) and the other $500. 16 of their people didn't even make more than 6k and of those 16 only 5 of them made more than 2500 That means 9 Fighters on the card made 2500 or less (most less). As far as we know EliteXC doesn't even give out bonuses and they cant give out PPV cuts because their not on PPV.
1. The fighters signed a contract for what they are being payed.
2. There are things we don't see as far as pay goes some fighters get part of the PPV. Some have bonus written in to their contract for things. We only see the base pay and that is it.
3. The UFC has proven time and time again they are the top paying MMA org around. Almost all the old Pride fighters have said they are making a lot more now than they did with Pride. Look at the payouts from EliteXC and you will see what I am talking about.
# Kevin Ferguson ($175,000) def. David Abbott ($126,000)
# Antonio Silva ($80,000) def. Ricco Rodriguez ($20,000)
# Scott Smith ($12,000) def. Kyle Noke ($3,000)
# Yves Edwards ($6,000) def. Edson Berto ($6,000)
# Brett Rogers ($4,000) def. James Thompson ($25,000)
# Rafael Feijao ($6,000) def. John Doyle ($2,5O0)
# Yosmany Cabezas ($2,000) def. Jon Kirk ($2,500)
# Dave Herman ($1,500) def. Mario Rinaldi ($2,000)
# Eric Bradley ($1,000) def. Mikey Gomez ($1,500)
# Lorenzo Borgomeo ($1,000) def. Mike Bernhard ($1,500)
# Moyses Gabin ($1)* def. Jirka Hlavati ($500)
They payed Kevin Ferguson more money than anyone on the card as far as these numbers show. One guy got payed $1 (and he won) and the other $500. 16 of their people didn't even make more than 6k and of those 16 only 5 of them made more than 2500 That means 9 Fighters on the card made 2500 or less (most less). As far as we know EliteXC doesn't even give out bonuses and they cant give out PPV cuts because their not on PPV.
jocksmall
3/7/08 7:59:28PM
something struck me about the pay because i remember herring getting very little in his 1st ufc fight i think it was 12 or 15k. maybe his contract has more of the money at the end or maybe hes on a new contract.
i dont think ufc is going to get hurt by paying the bottom guys more. i would like to see a basement price of at least 25-30k per fight so these guys can at least support a family. after all they have made it to the ufc it doesnt get any higher right now and im sure they are having to pay trainers and other overhead. but we should all recognize that the ufc salary structure is improving and im sure with the added competition the fighters will continue to earn a bigger share. a couple years from now we could be complaining that they are making too much..lol
i also read about the guy getting $1 but thats because he had a deal to be paid by another promoter or something he was actually paid more. i also read that the ufc was increasing salaries and bonuses but was not giving ppv shares unless a guy has it already negotiated in his contract and that it was a practice they were eliminating.
i dont think ufc is going to get hurt by paying the bottom guys more. i would like to see a basement price of at least 25-30k per fight so these guys can at least support a family. after all they have made it to the ufc it doesnt get any higher right now and im sure they are having to pay trainers and other overhead. but we should all recognize that the ufc salary structure is improving and im sure with the added competition the fighters will continue to earn a bigger share. a couple years from now we could be complaining that they are making too much..lol
i also read about the guy getting $1 but thats because he had a deal to be paid by another promoter or something he was actually paid more. i also read that the ufc was increasing salaries and bonuses but was not giving ppv shares unless a guy has it already negotiated in his contract and that it was a practice they were eliminating.
bls1919
3/7/08 8:42:48PM
Its called a CONTRACT. just like any other professional sport the playmakers get the bucks.
Kpro
3/7/08 10:38:42PM
go to your local community college and enroll in a 100 level business course.
Pitbull09
3/8/08 1:35:42AM
Thats crazy Anderson only got 140,000. They declared him the p4p fighter in the world yet they offered Fedor over 1 million a fight!
telnights
3/8/08 4:24:52AM
Posted by Pitbull09
Thats crazy Anderson only got 140,000. They declared him the p4p fighter in the world yet they offered Fedor over 1 million a fight!
He is still under his 1st contract with the UFC. Once that contract is up they will be paying him a lot more base pay. But you also have to think he made 140,000 in bonuses as well. Also this doesn't show if he is getting a PPV cut which I bet he is as he was and is the main event and the champ. There could also be other bonuses in his contract we may not know about. I don't understand why this is so hard for some people to understand.