Roundtables
ROUNDTABLE: As it stands, is the UFC's current pay structure fair?
Jan 19, 2012 - 7:00:22 PM ROUNDTABLE: As it stands, is the UFC's current pay structure fair?

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Do you feel the UFC's pay structure as it currently stands is fair? What, if anything, would you change in the present?


RICH HANSEN, MMATORCH COLUMNIST


What's fair?  In a free-market capitalistic society, you get what the highest bidder and you agree is fair.  If the Rich Fighting League says you're worth $20, and the Jamie Fighting League says you're worth $40, then you're worth $40.  And if you sign the deal with the JFL, then the deal is fair, because you signed the contract.  If you think a contract is unfair and you sign it, you're a moron, shut up.


FRANK HYDEN, MMATORCH CONTRIBUTOR



No, I don't believe it's fair. I'm all for the win bonuses, I think that's a good thing. I also like the KO of the Night, Submission of the Night, and Fight of the Night bonuses they hand out. Those are all good things.
 What I don't like is the skimpy pay all around, especially on the lower rung of fighters. I know the UFC has operating costs associated with running events on pay-per-view, arena costs, etc., but I feel as though they could spread the wealth around a bit more. I think it's kind of sad that some of these fighters earn maybe $6,000 a fight when they've been training for four months. It's considered abnormal that Jon Jones fought four times in 2011. That's one fight every three months. For the guys who earn $6,000 a fight that comes out to $24,000 for the whole year. Not only do these guys have living expenses, but they also have to pay for training as well as various other expenses associated with the fighting lifestyle. 
The UFC does more than they have to, but it'd just be nice to see them do a little more.




ANWAR PEREZ, MMATORCH COLUMNIST

As far as pay is concerned, the UFC has done a decent job. Could it be more? Possibly, but without clear, precise knowledge of what the UFC is making, it's hard to make the distinction that they aren't paying enough. As a few fighters have mentioned since the ESPN piece that started all of this discussion, they have made more in their few fights for the organization than they might have fighting for any other organization. As far as the structure is concerned, this is a sport. A competitive one in which one fighter faces another for movement up the ladder in the sport towards a championship. Vince McMahon has been stated as saying that he doesn't give spots, he gives opportunity. The UFC is the same because for every one fighter that may complain about pay, there are ten more that will vie for the same spot just for the opportunity to fight for the top organization in MMA.


ERIC HOBAUGH, MMATORCH CONTRIBUTOR
 
I do not know enough about the way professional athletes are paid to be an authority on this, but I am shocked when I see the salaries of some of the fighters. How is it possible for some of the UFC stars to make $400,000 as a base salary (not counting the percentage of the pay-per-view-in which some fighters make several hundreds of thousands of dollars in addition to their base pay) and other fighters make as little as $6,000 per fight. This is one of the worst things about the UFC having control of most of our sport. If I could change anything about the pay structure in the UFC it would be to include a minimum salary per fight. $25,000? The UFC makes millions of dollars, and more importantly they make millions of dollars in profit. I own a business and I share my profits with my co-workers because it is the correct way to treat people and the best way to run a business. I also understand that this will not happen any time soon. I am glad our sport is thriving and is doing well. I wish that the UFC would help the lessor know fighters out with more money to take care or their families.They UFC does pay for performance and fighters earn bonuses if the perform well. I will need to let this play out more before I have a more informed opinion.


BRAD WALKER, MMATORCH CONTRIBUTOR


This is one I'm somewhat split on as a fan and as an analyst because of the numbers involved. Sure, the way Outside The Lines edited their interview was a dirty move, but to be expected from such a fringe show. The minimum these guys are making in the cage at an entry level is six thousand to show, six thousand to win. That means at bare bones, in their 15 minute fight (if it goes that far) the pay rate is $24,000 an hour. Let's all do some math; the state minimum wage here in Illinois is $8.25 an hour, so if I were to take one fight in UFC at the base pay rate, it would be the equivalent of working 2,909 hours at minimum wage – before taxes. To add to that argument, that also means one victorious fight in a year puts them well above the national poverty line. There may not be another sport that actually offers nearly this much compensation for your time, and did I mention you get BENEFITS!

Dana White and the UFC giving all of their fighters injury insurance was a huge news story when he pulled the trigger, and it only added to the undoing of any demon-esque stereotypes the UFC had been tagged with previously. Even if you walk into the octagon for 30 seconds, and get knocked out, boom here you go a check for six grand, and we might bring you back for more. Towards the end of Pride the lower fighters on the ladder were making 10K to show, 10K to win – but Pride also went under. Dana and the Fertittas have been astoundingly smart with their money and take very good care of their fighters. If I had it in me I would get in shape, get at 205 and make a play for UFC because the money is so good. Is the pay structure 100% fair? Not necessarily, as some of the fighters low on the card deserve better money for the skill set they put on display, but for the most part, I would say that they're doing good by their fighters.


MATT PELKEY, MMATORCH COLUMNIST

I think its the fairest of the big sports right now. Yes, there's a huge disparity between the pay of the main eventers and the curtain jerkers, but that's how it should be. The Brock Lesnars and Georges St-Pierres of the world make multiple millions of dollars per fight because they're bringing in multiple millions of dollars worth of revenue. The debuting fighters on $5k/$5k contracts ($5000 to fight, $5000 win bonus) are actually overpaid when you consider that no one actually orders a pay-per-view to see those guys. I'd certainly like to see minimum contracts bumped up to at least the $15k/$15k range just to make it worthwhile for the fighters knowing how much coaches and training partners cost, but I don't see anything egregious about the UFC's current pay scale.