Author: Anton Tabuena

The UFC bantamweight champion is not happy about the revenue share fighters get.

Despite all the UFC’s financial success, fighter pay has remained an issue, especially compared to other sports. Endeavor CEO Ari Emanuel claims that they’ve done ‘very, very well” paying athletes even with the UFC trying to maintain their revenue share at just 17% for years, while Dana White says even just increasing fight night bonuses would “f—k up our budget.”

UFC bantamweight champion Aljamain Sterling just isn’t buying that idea, especially after the company’s record breaking finances came to light and Endeavor executives boasting about UFC’s “best financial year ever.”

“It’s just the business aspect. They want to pay us less, we always want to get paid more. And we all rightfully think that there’s more money that could be divvied out to the fighters because of how much money they clear,” Sterling told MMA Junkie.

“It’s a public company, so we get to see those numbers,” the UFC bantamweight champion said. “You mean to tell me if you gave us an extra 5% that’s gonna kill you guys? …an extra 5% of upwards of 900 million? I don’t know the exact number, upwards of over 800 million dollars? …I think you guys will survive. I think that’s the best way I could put that. It’s not being greedy.

“I do understand the business model side of it, like not every fighter is bringing viewers to the program or putting butts in the seats, but at the same time we are the product that people are tuning in to see. So whether or not we are the big name, fighting under the UFC umbrella means that we are worthy of being watched on national television — international television on a global level.”

Sterling also argues that fighters getting paid better and not having to worry about maintaining a second job will raise the talent level in MMA. Making it a more sustainable career would also attract top level athletes that would otherwise just pick other sports with better pay.

“You’re gonna get a better product. You can get better athletes that can be able to provide for themselves and they can take a chance by not working a full-time job,” Sterling said. “It’s easier to take that risk and say ‘okay I’m secure for x amount of months or a year, and I can take this chance and really give it a shot and see what could happen’ versus me having to be a substitute teacher for three years with the (UFC) before I was able to stop completely, and just focus solely on fighting… Not having to go between lunch periods to go try to get an extra cardio session.”

Sterling also suggested that tweaking the bonus system would go a long way.

“Give out more bonuses and guys will go out there and really try to get more finishes. That can solve that. Anytime there’s a finish, you give a bonus.”

Finish bonuses have been something that pundits have suggested before, as it gives fighters more control and clarity after their bouts. Instead of begging on TV or relying on Dana White’s mood that night, they’d already know for sure when or how they’d be able to get a bonus.

As for the financial numbers Sterling referenced, UFC reportedly generated $860 million and $890 million in revenue for 2019 and 2020, respectively. In 2021, Endeavor’s “Owned Sports Properties,” which is mostly driven by the UFC, had $1.1 billion in revenue. SEC documents also showed they had massive earnings, as their adjusted EBITDA is up 17% for the year at $537.6 million.

It’s also worth noting that UFC owners and Endeavor bosses Ari Emanuel and Patrick Whitesell got massive pay packages of $308 million and $123 million in 2021.

It might be obvious at this point, but Sterling is definitely correct in saying “an extra 5% is not going to kill these guys, and 5% will go a long way to sprinkle that across the entire roster.”

Will this bout push through?

Is the UFC ready to move on from their heavyweight champion in Francis Ngannou? Perhaps as an indicator of how their long and shaky contract negotiations are going, the UFC reportedly is now set on the idea of booking an interim title bout soon.

The promotion already has a match up in mind, as according to MMA Junkie, Stipe Miocic has been offered an interim heavyweight championship bout against Jon Jones for UFC 276. Nothing is final, and a lot of things will still have to fall into place to make that happen, as Miocic and especially Jones have also had issues and contract impasses with the UFC.

Dana White also recently spoke to TMZ about the potential match up.

“I was just telling somebody the other day, our lineup for this summer is incredible,” White said. “So I’m hoping Jon Jones is going to be part of that lineup this summer. … Stipe makes sense.”

Jones has teased a heavyweight debut for a decade now, but it has yet to actually materialize. One of the main sticking points in his last failed negotiations with the UFC, is him wanting a bigger purse to finally move up in weight.

As for Ngannou’s own rocky negotiations, the champion has openly stated that he wants to test free agency as he’s had a lot of issues with the UFC in the last few years. The disgruntled heavyweight champ is currently recovering from knee surgery, but he also did fight just three months ago in January. Considering how he took the previous — and also unusually quick — installation of an interim title as disrespect, it’s hard to imagine Ngannou being happy about this idea either.

UFC 276 happens on July 2, in Las Vegas.

Watch video from the boxing match between Spence and Ugas.

Errol Spence Jr. and Yordenis Ugas fought Saturday night to unify the welterweight titles. After 10 rounds of action, Spence will be the one going home with the WBA, WBC and IBF belts.

Ugas had one big moment when he cracked Spence as he was distracted by his lost mouthpiece, but as the fight went on, it became pretty one-sided. Spence put on a show, throwing with volume and power as he battered Ugas for majority of the contest. He controlled the distance and pace, completely nullifying Ugas’ offense, who was left barely throwing much shots by the latter rounds.

In the 10th round, the doctor stepped in and put a stop to the contest as Ugas has a badly swollen eye that he couldn’t see out of.

Watch video from the fight, along with a snippet from our play-by-play of the contest.

Errol Spence Jr vs. Yordenis Ugas – Round 10

These body shots by Spence are hellacious. Ugas in all likelihood needs multiple knockdowns and more likely a knockout to win. And Ugas gets hurt again. That eye is bothering him big time. Spence is unrelenting. Huge uppercut by Spence. Ugas may be on his last legs. Good right by Ugas but he’s only landing single punches. Doctor is called upon again as Ugas continues to eat massive shots to that right eye. AND THIS TIME IT IS STOPPED! Errol Spence Jr now has three of the four major welterweight titles in boxing! Only Terence Crawford stands in the way of undisputed status.

Andy Ruiz vs Tyrone Spong isn’t happening next, despite Triller’s recent announcement.

Triller recently announced a peculiar bout between former boxing heavyweight champion Andy Ruiz Jr. and former kickboxing star Tyrone Spong. The match up is already questionable as it is — Spong is years separated from his kickboxing heyday and hasn’t boxed since 2019 — but apparently that July 16 bout isn’t going to push through.

Just a couple of days since the announcement, ESPN reports that a contract issue has scrapped all of Triller’s plans as Ruiz had already previously signed on to face Luis Ortiz at PBC.

Ortiz previously slammed Ruiz after originally hearing about the Triller match up.

“[Ruiz is] a coward,” Ortiz told El Nuevo Herald on Thursday. “He knew how badly I wanted to fight him, but he decided to take an easy route. … A fight is coming that nobody is interested in and that is useless in his career.”

As Ortiz vs Ruiz is now set to happen next, Triller released a statement about the contractual issue with PBC.

“We are working amicably with PBC to make sure Ruiz honors his obligations to both parties,” Triller Fight Club president David Tetreault told ESPN. “Had we known PBC intended to fight him prior, we would have never chosen this date.

“We enjoy a good relationship with PBC and we are currently working to identify an optimal date for rescheduling the fight. The date Triller lands on will be in collaboration with PBC and their calendar.”

Triller has a growing reputation for putting on a lot of gimmicky and even dangerous match ups. Some of their rare attempts at booking legitimate contenders and champions never pushed through, including that Lopez vs Kambosos title bout that went to DAZN.

AJ McKee plans to ‘unleash the beast’ at lightweight.

A.J. McKee lost a close decision to Patricio Pitbull at Bellator 277, which marked the first defeat in his stellar career. The now former featherweight champion doesn’t agree with the decision, but as they’re now 1-1, he wants that third fight to happen at lightweight instead.

“At the end of the day, it’s back to the drawing board. Shit, I want my rematch at ‘55 then,” McKee said at the post-fight press conference. “Like I’ve been telling ya’ll, I’m done with ‘45, unless we get some super-fights going.

“I’ve been at ‘45 for years and years and years, cutting a lot of weight. I don’t think people want to see what goes into it,” he said. “It’s a lot of work not just myself, for my team, for my family. It’s rough seeing me get down to ‘45s.”

McKee, who at 5’10, would still be a good sized lightweight, believes he’ll be far better at that weight.

“Sure, (I’m open to a trilogy) at ‘55. Why not? Faster, stronger, bigger. Yeah, I’m gonna unleash that beast. Monster-style, baby.”

After the defeat, the 27-year-old McKee is now 18-1 in his career, with all fights happening in Bellator’s featherweight division.

Pitbull, on the other hand, becomes a three-time featherweight champion after getting his belt back. The two-division Bellator champion further established himself as one of the most decorated fighters to never compete in the UFC.

He vacated his lightweight title in 2021, and the belt is currently being held by his brother, Patricky Pitbull.

Bellator featherweight champion A.J. McKee is making monetary demands.

Undefeated Bellator champion A.J. McKee is demanding big changes.

Ahead of his rematch with Patricio Pitbull this Friday, Bellator’s homegrown superstar revealed that he is looking to leave his high profile CAA management team to have he and his father, Antonio McKee handle representation themselves. The 27-year-old featherweight champion is also asking Bellator for a far bigger purse or risk losing him to a different promotion.

Currently 18-0 and quickly becoming the promotion’s biggest star, McKee says he will only take $1 million purses moving forward.

“They did [try to re-sign me],” McKee told MMA Fighting. “I had already fought previously for a million dollars. I feel I should never have to see anything under a million dollars again, especially with the achievements I’ve accomplished. Every time I step in that cage, there’s an ‘O’ on my record.

“For me to go backwards, anything under a million, I feel it’s just not reasonable. We were at like [$500K] but it’s not appetizing to me.”

McKee earned a $1,000,000 prize for winning the Bellator featherweight grand prix in 2021, but his current contracted purse is set at $250,000. He says if Bellator doesn’t match his asking price, he could test free agency as soon as his champion’s clause ends.

“Possibly, if we can’t come up with the million dollars, then yeah [this could be it],” McKee said. “Also that’s the thing. Every time I fight, my numbers are going to double because I want to be back paid for the fights that I haven’t. It’s business. I’ve got families to feed.

“There’s been nothing re-signed so currently championship clause, three fights [remaining],” McKee said. “It doesn’t specify specifically [how long the contract lasts] so it’s normally about six months per fight, a year and a half [left]. A year and a half but I’ve got other things going on outside of that, all kinds of other stuff.”

McKee, a second-generation MMA fighter, revealed that he always had dreams of being a UFC champion while growing up as a fan of “Rampage” Jackson.

“Owning a UFC belt one day, it’s going to happen. It’s inevitable,” he said. “It’s an achievement and an accolade that I would love to have under my belt. Being champ-champ there as well.

“Beat [Alexander] Volkanovski up real quick one time,” he said. “but my dream fight’s [Max] Holloway. That’s the dream fight.”