Former UFC Middleweight Champion Luke Rockhold recently spoke about turning down a fight offer from the UFC because “the money was bullsh*t,” only for the UFC to announce days later that he would be returning against Ronaldo “Jacare” Souza.
Rockhold explained during his recent appearance on the Extra Rounds Podcast that the reason he now has a signed fight against Jacare is because he and the UFC restructured some points in his deal.
“I signed my contract with the UFC back before I fought Machida. I had confidence in myself to win the title and I thought that I’d find myself in a better situation but the contract fell back – before I was able to restructure it – to a place where I wasn’t really happy with it. Seeing what I fell back to and knowing what I’ve accomplished and my credibility in the sport, I wasn’t happy with what they were offering. It’s gonna take more than that to get me to fight. I’ve got other avenues outside the sport, and I’m not gonna go fight when it’s not worth it. I gotta get my due, I’ve gotta get my worth. No matter how much I love fight, and what I’m doing out here, I need to get f*cking paid.”
With the UFC being sold to new owners WME | IMG for a reported $4 billion, more and more fighters have been looking to get more out of their contracts with the company. As Rockhold explains, things are in a “transitional period.”
“I think we’re in a transition period. I think there’s definitely positive change in the sport and people are starting to realize it’s about leverage in the right situation and understanding your worth… These guys are trying to keep you down on these paychecks, keep you hungry, keep you needing more.”
Now that he has the paperwork figured out and a fight lined up, Rockhold also made it clear he has one thing he has focused on accomplishing — recapturing his UFC Middleweight Championship.
“They restructured the deal for the time being, and so we got a new contract. We got a new contract upping the money, and we got the right fight so I think this will be the best fight for me right now to get me back to the title. I think we’re clearly the best two guys in the division, so this will solidify myself to going back and getting my gold back.”
H/T to MMAFighting.com for transcribing the above Luke Rockhold quotes.