Strickland Rips UFC's Pay Structure

Sean Strickland has opinions about UFC fighter pay, as he did not hold back.

The two-time middleweight champion addressed the promotion's pay structure, working through the math of what a fighter at the bottom of the roster actually takes home after a fight and arriving at a conclusion he describes without softening.

"When you're a fighter, you're so f***ing poor. Even in the UFC. UFC guys, they're signing guys at like, 10 and 10 — $10,000 to show, $10,000 to win, $20 grand. So then you pay off your manager, you pay taxes; if you lose, you only get like eight, seven grand,” Strickland

After management cuts typically running ten to twenty percent, federal and state taxes, and training camp expenses that the fighter absorbs personally, a loss at the entry level of the UFC roster can produce a net figure that would not cover a month's rent in most American cities. Strickland extended the point to injuries, which add another dimension the base pay discussion often skips.

"Now, say you go get injured or get locked out. The UFC is fing brutal. The UFC is so fing predatory. This is why you see a lot of foreigners excel, because guys in Brazil that live in the fing favelas, $10 grand to them, that's fing life-changing. I have buddies that go and live in Dagestan or Brazil, and they go back and live like a f***ing king. Like bro, you can't even pay rent for a couple months here,” Strickland

Strickland acknowledged his own situation sits at the other end of the spectrum: "I'm happy. I make good money. But only the very top guys are making money,” Strickland

The UFC has defended its structure by pointing to the overall money available in combat sports, the performance bonuses fighters can earn, and the exposure the promotion provides. Critics counter that the revenue split between the promotion and its athletes is significantly more favorable to the promotion than in comparable sports.