Photo by Josh Hedges/Zuffa LLC/Zuffa LLC via Getty Images
Khama Worthy is keeping a positive outlook despite being hit hard by COVID-19 on two financial fronts.
Fighter pay is a hot topic and Khama Worthy is familiar with the financial challenges of mixed martial arts.
Worthy (15-6) returns for his sophomore Octagon outing more than 10 months after making his debut at UFC 241. “The Deathstar” challenges red-hot UFC prospect Luis Pena at UFC Vegas 4: Poirier vs. Hooker on June 27. Fight-less since August 2019, Worthy has relied on the gym he owns for income. Unfortunately, his was one of many small businesses ravaged by COVID-19 restrictions. He even joked about starting an OnlyFans to get by.
“The fight game in the UFC is rough. Some people get a lot of fights, but I’ve been asking for fights for the past six, seven months. But we’re here now so I’m not complaining,” Worthy told Bloody Elbow. “It hasn’t done too much bad stuff for my training, but of course it affects everyone’s life. I’m trying my best to just run with things the best way I can. I control the things I can control, and the things I can’t I let go as planned. Spending so much energy on things you can’t makes you tired, so I don’t get into that.”
“Any small business owner, especially a gym, this has been difficult. You’re not getting any loans, you’re not getting any help. You need to find ways to get through. My gym just opened up,” he continued. “We won’t start charging people until July so we’ve been three months without making any money. We still have to pay rent… I could sit around and complain about it or I can deal with it as it comes.”
Worthy is coming off an unexpected first-round knockout of Devonte Smith at UFC 241. Should he make easy work of Pena, Worthy is eyeing a quick turnaround against an all-action fighter.
“Realistically, I want to fight a guy who has been around for a while. This will be my second prospect. Someone like Yancy. I like how Yancy Medeiros fights. That’s a really, really fun fight. Clay Guida I already said I wanted that fight, but he [just fought]… I would like a guy who has a bit of UFC experience and test myself against a veteran,” he expressed. “I’ve always been a fan of his. He trains with the Diaz brothers and he comes to freaking scrap. He comes to fight. If everything goes as planned that is a fight I’ll hopefully tried to get lined up soon.”
So what is fun about getting punched, choked, kicked, stretched, elbowed, twisted and kneed?
“That’s part of the fun: the risk. It’s like driving your Ferrari on the street and your flying. One wrong move and your stuck in the wall. It’s that type of of thrill. It takes a special type of person — or a stupid type of person — to do that. Every time I fight, I asked myself, ‘What the f—k are you doing here? Why are we doing this?’ That’s a reasonable, realistic thought,” Worthy shared. “Then I fight and I’m ready for the next one, win or lose. When you’re in there you begin to understand. You’re facing your fears, you find out so much about yourself. You can’t lie to yourself in there.”
UFC Vegas 4 takes places on Saturday, June 27. Dustin Poirier and Dan Hooker headline the event with Mike Perry vs. Mickey Gall serving as the co-main event.
Timestamps are below for the video above:
0:25 – Starting an OnlyFans?
0:54 – Calling for a fight
1:43 – Challenges of training during pandemic
2:23 – Financial woes
3:29 – Is Luis Pena over-hyped or under-hyped?
4:30 – Fighting at the UFC Apex
5:35 – Quick turnaround
6:17 – Maintaining momentum during long layoff
6:56 – The secret sauce to a nasty elbow
8:28 – Calling out Yancy Medeiros
9:57 – How is professional fighting fun?