The life of a professional fighter is not easy. The physical demands of the job are unmatched, but unfortunately, the pay grade does not reflect that. For Cole Smith, who made a successful UFC debut with a unanimous decision win over Mitch Gagnon at UFC Ottawa, that’s a big problem.

“This sport sucks, man,” Smith told the media after his victory in Ottawa (via MMA Junkie). “Cutting weight, doing a bunch of (expletive) I don’t want to do, and I want to get paid accordingly. It’s one thing you’re fighting for peanuts your whole life. I’ve mooched rides, I’ve mooched food, my brothers have to give me clothes. It’s about time. I want to be paid.

“It’s bulls**t that someone in the NBA who doesn’t even touch the court is getting $600,000 while I’m out here fighting my ass off, and I’m getting $10,000.”

While Cole Smith isn’t happy with the way he and his peers are paid, he wants to assure that he is happy to be fighting for the UFC. He’s enjoyed the experience so far.

“I am super happy to be here – 100 percent,” Smith said. “My first experiences here have been absolutely amazing. They’ve treated me great. So just want to throw that out there. I love the UFC. I’m very proud to be here.”

With his debut UFC win in Ottawa, Cole Smith is now an impressive 7-0 overall.

This article first appeared on BJPENN.COM on 5/5/2019.