https://youtu.be/h5cTEQ30Yxg
While Conor McGregor is breaking records with his multi-million dollar paydays, many other UFC fighters continue to struggle financially.
Look no further than dangerous lightweight striker Paul “The Irish Dragon” Felder for evidence of this. On September 24, Felder is scheduled for a trip south to Brasilia, Brazil, where he’ll be taking on the streaking Francisco “Massaranduba” Trinaldo. Unfortunately however, the UFC is not covering the travel costs of all of the cornermen Felder feels he requires, which has driven him to create a GoFundMe campaign.
“As most of you guys know, I’m getting ready to go over to Brasilia, Brazil, Francisco Trinaldo’s hometown,” Felder explains in the video posted to his GoFundMe page. “I gotta get my corner of there. The UFC can only cover so many flights. I’ve got a few other cornermen that I’ve gotta bring with me because they’re important to our victory. So if you guys want to help me get this win, we’re asking that you donate whatever you can–just a little bit. It’s just to get my cornermen over there, not for personal gain. It’s to get guys to Brazil so we can get this W and come back home to the United States victorious.”
Felder’s goal on GoFundMe is $7,500. At the time of this writing, he’s raised $500 of that goal.
The fact that Felder, a professional athlete in an extremely popular sport, can’t afford to fly a few extra cornermen to Brazil, is a reminder that while McGregor is breaking down barriers in terms of fighter pay, there’s still plenty of room for improvement.
Do you think fighters are paid enough? Will you be donating to Felder’s cause? Sound off PENN nation!