Current and former UFC fighters are left angered over low pay in comparison to the organization’s multimillion-dollar payments to its rich investors.<\/p>\n
According to The New York Post<\/a>, it was revealed earlier this month that approximately $300 million will be paid in one-time dividends to the company’s A-list of celebrity investors. Model Gisele B\u00fcndchen, actor Mark Wahlberg and actress Charlize Theron are among the beneficiaries.<\/p>\n UFC kingpin Dana White is on schedule to receive more than $3 million from the windfall according to sources<\/a>. He has received harsh criticism in recent years from former fighters regarding low pay.<\/p>\n On the other side of the coin, White is notorious for his generous tipping that has reportedly “changed people’s lives”. According to The Las Vegas Review-Journal, the UFC president tipped dealers $100,000 at the Vegas Palms Casino Resort<\/a>. This rubbed salt in the wound of retired MMA fighter Kyle Kingsbury:<\/p>\n \u201cI heard about Dana tipping a waitress $10,000 and that was my wage as a fighter,\u201d he said. \u201cI lived in my mom\u2019s garage and I had two jobs when I was fighting in the UFC. I was a personal trainer and a bouncer [and] bartender in a strip club.\u201d<\/p>\n Kingsbury is joined by multiple former fighters in suing the organization in an anti-trust lawsuit. They allege that anti-competitive conduct by the organization created a systematic monopsony that dominates the market, stifles competition and salaries for fighters. This practice drives down pay and pressure fighters into exclusive, long-term contracts.<\/p>\n The UFC has disputed the claims made against them and insist they pay fighters fairly and competitively:<\/p>\n \u201cUFC pays its fighters more than any other MMA promoter,\u201d a UFC spokesperson told The Post. \u201cWe are proud of the company we\u2019ve built and we are confident in our legal position.\u201d<\/p>\n In a report published earlier this month, it was stated that the UFC only pays 16% of its $900 million revenue to fighters. In comparison, data shows that Major League Baseball, the National Basketball Association and the National Football League pay between 48-50% of their revenue to players.<\/p>\n When BJPenn<\/a> reported the payout claims, MMA fighter Devin Powell shared his own experience with the UFC:<\/p>\n We are Willing to die in that fucking cage….. — Devin Powell (@DevinPowellMMA) February 15, 2020<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n\n
1st UFC fight I left that cage with a broken eye socket + a paycheck for 10k. Then I got taxed heavily, pay manager, pay for two plane tickets to Arizona out of pocket, pay for food and camp… we\u2019d do it free, but deserve better. https:\/\/t.co\/qIDeuYreIh<\/a><\/p>\n