Could elite UFC welterweight Rory MacDonald become a free agent soon?
More and more UFC fighters are deciding to take their chances in free agency, and it has seemingly paid off for some. Guys like Ben Henderson and Matt Mitrione were offered lucrative deals by Bellator that the UFC chose not to match, while in other cases they have decided the fighter was worth it to them and kept them in the octagon.
Well, the next potential free agent might be the biggest so far – top-ranked welterweight Rory MacDonald.
The 26-year-old MacDonald (18-3, 9-3 UFC) will face Stephen Thompson in the main event of a UFC show in Ottawa in June, and as a guest on The MMA Hour today, stated that it is the last fight on his UFC contract:
Rory MacDonald reveals on #themmahour that the Wonderboy fight is the last fight of his UFC deal. He’d be a potentially HUGE free agent.
— Shaheen Al-Shatti (@shaunalshatti) March 14, 2016
He’s apparently looking to get paid:
Rory MacDonald on #themmahour warns he’d been “very willing” to go test free agency “if it means making the most money.”
— Shaheen Al-Shatti (@shaunalshatti) March 14, 2016
MacDonald is coming off one of the best title fights in UFC history, where he was defeated by Robbie Lawler in the fifth round of a bout he was winning at the time. He would undoubtedly draw a big offer from Bellator, and likely other organizations as well.
Rory earned $59,000 for his loss to Lawler last July at UFC 189.