http://sports.yahoo.com/mma/news;_ylt=AuJiyqSW8q.VoTENrO66BfI9Eo14?slug=ki-mmamailbag042908&prov=yhoo&type=lgns I was reading about EliteXC's financial troubles on sherdog, and there was a link to this article. We hear fighters complaining about their pay (Randy Couture, Kalib Starnes, Jon "War Machine" Koppenhaver, probably others that I can't remember) Anyway, turns out that the discrepancy is even bigger in boxing, and the lower end guys getting paid the same or less. This considering that boxing is a much more established sport. I also found it interesting that Mir made $85 000 for the logos on his shorts...
With the recent revelation that a training camp at Big Bear costs $35k, the expenses these fighters have come close to or outweigh their incomes until they reach the highest level of MMA. Even most high-level MMA fighters have full time jobs as BJJ instructors or they have their own schools. Right now event pay-outs just aren't enough for the vast majority of the guys. Dana recently admitted that most fighters make $100k in the UFC, but their expenses are major. I think fighters deserve more, but by the same token, money ruins everything. We might be in the golden age of MMA at the moment--ten years from now it might be like boxing where you have many different belts and promoters and the whole scene is a shit show. Hopefully that never happens.
Its pretty interesting, but just because another combat sport is also ripping off their fighters doesn't really make earning 4k every 3 months(base salary) any better.
I don't think the lower-end fighters are going to train at Big Bear. I mean if a fighter is making 45 000 per year, clearly it would be not feasible to spend 35 000 on a training camp. I'm sure that there are ways to train for much less than 35 000 over a 3 month period. It is just like Celebs who try stay fit can spend like huge huge huge amounts on the PREMIERE Fitness trainer for personal sessions. Probably costing well over 100 grand a year. However the Celebs with less money can probably find ways to get into great shape and spend much less than 100 grand per year. I mean Evan Tanner for example as you know trained himself through Gracie video tapes. I'm sure plenty of mma guys are friends and can train together to keep their skills sharp, and a membership at a gym wouldn't cut into their pockets too much.
• 1. Forrest Griffin: $310,000 ($100,000 base salary, plus $150,000 win bonus, plus $60,000 "Fight of the Night" bonus) • 2. Quinton Jackson: $285,000 ($225,000 base salary, plus $60,000 "Fight of the Night" bonus) • 3. Gabriel Gonzaga: $100,000 • 4. Melvin Guillard: $80,000 (includes $60,000 "Knockout of the Night" bonus) • 5. Cole Miller: $80,000 (includes $60,000 "Submission of the Night" bonus) • 6. Josh Koscheck: $70,000 • 7. Joe Stevenson: $60,000 • 8. Tyson Griffin: $40,000 • 9. Marcus Aurelio: $40,000 • 10. Patrick Cote: $32,000 • 11. Ricardo Almeida: $23,000 • 12. Chris Lytle: $14,000 • 13. Gleison Tibau: $11,000 • 14. Jorge Gurgel: $10,000 • 15. Justin Buchholz: $8,000 • 16. Corey Hill: $8,000 •17. Dennis Siver: $7,000 • 18. Justin McCully: $5,000 Here is the payout from UFC 86. I mean if a guy fights 3 fights a year, even at 8 grand or 10 grand, looking at 24-30 grand a year. I mean it's not great, and a person might want to be an mma/wrestling/boxing instructor or fitness trainer with the large amount of time they have when not training.
It would be interesting to see how much Condom Depot, Throwdown, TapouT, etc. are giving these mid- to low-level guys for hocking their shit on TV and PPV.
