Tag: Fighter Contracts

UFC Reacts To Formation Of MMA Athletes Association

Earlier this week it was reported that a ‘redefining’ announcement would be made today (Nov. 30, 2016) by a group of fighters led by former longtime UFC welterweight champion Georges St. Pierre and former Bellator CEO Bjorn Rebney. Speculation immediately turned to the idea that the group, which consists of St. Pierre as well as

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Earlier this week it was reported that a ‘redefining’ announcement would be made today (Nov. 30, 2016) by a group of fighters led by former longtime UFC welterweight champion Georges St. Pierre and former Bellator CEO Bjorn Rebney.

Speculation immediately turned to the idea that the group, which consists of St. Pierre as well as Tim Kennedy, TJ Dillashaw, Donald Cerrone, and Cain Velasquez, would be forming a fighters’ union, and while they haven’t necessarily done that, they have indeed formed what they called the Mixed Martial Arts Athletes Association (MMAAA).

The group, which will focus solely on UFC fighters for the time being, will aim to improve conditions and pay for not only current fighters, but former fighters and future fighters as well.

Oddly enough, the board didn’t release many details regarding their plans, but the UFC reacted to the news nonetheless (Via MMAFighting):

“We respect all of our athletes and are always open and willing to hear their thoughts on how to improve the sport,” a UFC official said.

Rebney, who will serve as an advisor to the group, said during a conference call earlier today that the members have yet to reach out to the UFC and that they don’t plan to at this time.

Stay tuned to LowKickMMA as more news on the situation unfolds.

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Six Ways UFC Fighter Treatment Needs To Change

The UFC is obviously quite a lucrative company. Earlier this year, the promotion, which is the world’s largest mixed martial arts promotion, sold for a record-setting $4.2 billion. The UFC was also recently ranked by Forbes as one of the top ten most valuable brands in sports. Based on these statistics, it’s clear that the

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The UFC is obviously quite a lucrative company. Earlier this year, the promotion, which is the world’s largest mixed martial arts promotion, sold for a record-setting $4.2 billion. The UFC was also recently ranked by Forbes as one of the top ten most valuable brands in sports.

Based on these statistics, it’s clear that the UFC brass is living lavish, but can be the same be said for those who make the company this successful: the fighters? In today’s day and age, fighter treatment seems to be an increasingly hot topic, and with complaints coming from big name fighters like Jose Aldo, Anderson Silva and Donald Cerrone, it’s clear that change is needed.

Let’s take a look at six specific ways that fighter treatment needs to change within the UFC:

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Dana White Says ‘Awesome’ Announcements Regarding Fighter Pay Are Coming

Fighter pay has consistently been a hot topic within the world of mixed martial arts (MMA) in recent years, as a plethora of fighters, specifically regarding the UFC, feel as if they aren’t being treated properly. In fact, talks of the potential formation of a fighters’ union have increased over time, and the Professional Fighters

The post Dana White Says ‘Awesome’ Announcements Regarding Fighter Pay Are Coming appeared first on LowKick MMA.

Fighter pay has consistently been a hot topic within the world of mixed martial arts (MMA) in recent years, as a plethora of fighters, specifically regarding the UFC, feel as if they aren’t being treated properly. In fact, talks of the potential formation of a fighters’ union have increased over time, and the Professional Fighters Association (PFA) recently announced its creation in hopes of assisting ‘the fighters in this historic quest to take control of their careers and their future.’

If you ask UFC President Dana White, however, fighters shouldn’t worry, as ‘awesome’ announcements regarding ‘making all of these athletes more money’ are coming in the next few months:

“To make this the biggest sport in the world. We’re not even close. Not even close. Just the announcements we’re going to make in the next three months are so awesome they are going to blow peoples minds, man. This is what I love. I love building, I love winning, I love the grind and getting in any everyday and making this thing bigger and bigger and better and making all of these athletes more money. In the next three months we are going to be popping out announcements left and right.” White told The Herd.

The UFC was recently sold for a record setting $4.2 billion to a team of investors led by WME-IMG, who announced its plans to open up a plethora of new opportunities to fighters. Perhaps this is what White is referring to.

Do you see any noteworthy changes pertaining to fighter pay truly coming to fruition in the future?

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Quote: Ali Act Will Turn MMA Business Model On Its Head

Fighter pay along with fighter treatment has long been a hot topic in mixed martial arts (MMA) specifically regarding the world’s largest MMA promotion, the UFC, which is why it was so interesting when a report surfaced indicating that the UFC was attempting to stop the expansion of the Muhammad Ali Act from entering MMA.

The post Quote: Ali Act Will Turn MMA Business Model On Its Head appeared first on LowKick MMA.

Fighter pay along with fighter treatment has long been a hot topic in mixed martial arts (MMA) specifically regarding the world’s largest MMA promotion, the UFC, which is why it was so interesting when a report surfaced indicating that the UFC was attempting to stop the expansion of the Muhammad Ali Act from entering MMA.

Oklahoma congressman Markwayne Mullin, who hopes to introduce a bill that would bring the act to MMA, recently detailed a somewhat odd conversation he had with a UFC official that made it clear to him that change is needed:

“He actually said that to me,” Mullin told MMAjunkie. “He said, ‘We don’t have them fight for a championship belt. We bestow an award on an individual for the best fighter that night.’ I said, ‘See, this is exactly why we need this.’”

While noting that today’s fighters are indeed ‘phenomenal athletes’, Mullin claimed that they simply aren’t treated fairly:

“The fighters today are phenomenal athletes, while we were more brawlers,” Mullin said. “It’s become a professional sport. But would I encourage my kids to try and make it? Would I encourage my kids to go into it? Is it a sustainable career? I mean, for the top one percent, is it even sustainable for them? And the answer is no. No it is not.”

Erik Magraken, an attorney in favor of the expansion of the act, also commented on the situation, saying that the act would completely change the current business model in MMA:

“The Muhammad Ali Expansion Act will turn the current business model on its head for many promoters,” Magraken wrote in an email to MMAjunkie. “This will not be limited to the UFC, but also other professional MMA promoters such as Bellator MMA and WSOF, not to mention smaller regional promoters. Additionally this will impact other combat sports promoters such as GLORY and Lion Fight Promotions, Bellator Kickboxing and even professional grappling promoters.”

Do you expect to see the Muhammad Ali Act make its entry into MMA in the near future?

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