Sarah Stier-USA TODAY Sports
Contract disputes seem to be a running theme at the moment in the UFC.
UFC welterweight Jorge Masvidal took his contract negotiations with the UFC public last week, and ‘Gamebred’ has continued to voice his frustration towards the promotion claiming they are keeping him “locked up.”
Masvidal (35-13) asked last week to be released from his UFC contract. The 35-year-old indicated that the UFC was offering him half of what he made on his last fight for a potential title bout against Kamaru Usman, and they were citing the coronavirus pandemic as a reason for the pay cut.
The negotiation is take it or leave it. If I lose you can cut me and not pay out the rest of the contract. If I win I’m not in a position to renegotiate the contract? My dad left a communist regime and has prepared me my whole life
— Jorge Masvidal UFC (@GamebredFighter) June 7, 2020
“I’m in a contract that I had to take to get paid. Same way I got a new contract to fight till. Then a new contract to fight Nate,” Masvidal wrote in his latest rant. “They keep extending the amounts of fights to my contract to keep me locked up and when I say I only want a 4 fight contract it’s take it or leave it.”
Masvidal then explained the take it or leave it scenario he finds himself in, with the UFC ultimately holding power as the welterweight is unable to renegotiate his contract even if he wins.
He continued by saying he was already preparing to fight on the UFC’s first Fight Island card which takes place on July 11th.
I brought down some of the best wrestlers on the planet for camp. Don’t tell me I didn’t want to fight. July 11th there was a baptism planned #theresurrection
— Jorge Masvidal UFC (@GamebredFighter) June 7, 2020
Masvidal is far from the only fighter on the roster who is going through a contract dispute with the UFC. Conor McGregor announced he is retiring from the sport for the third time as the promotion wants “to stomp all over him”, and light heavyweight kingpin Jon Jones says he will relinquish his title and is not fighting until the promotion pays him more.