Al Iaquinta Unhappy With Contract, Goes Off On UFC
UFC lightweight Al Iaquinta was out of action for two years and was scratching to compete again. He got his wish when he faced Diego Sanchez at Saturday’s UFC Fight Night 108 event. However, it was short-lived returned as he won the fight by first-round knockout. Iaquinta is not sure he wants to pick up where he left off in his career at least at his current rate of pay.
“I really enjoy selling real estate,” Iaquinta told MMAjunkie. “I just wanted to get in there and have fun, and that’s exactly what I did. (UFC on FOX 25) would be awesome, something I’d really love to do, but I’m not going to do for the contract I have now. Probably not. Definitely not for a top opponent.
“These guys are dangerous. I’m not going in there to get paid what I’m getting paid to get hurt. If I’m out for two years, where am I going to make any money?”
Soon after his interview, Iaquinta went off on the UFC on Twitter. It appears that it seemed to stem from is the lack of an official UFC fight-night bonus.
Hey @ufc go fuck yourself
— Al Iaquinta🗽 (@ALIAQUINTA) April 23, 2017
This place is getting wrecked
— Al Iaquinta🗽 (@ALIAQUINTA) April 23, 2017
Fuck you https://t.co/UoGqPspJAw
— Al Iaquinta🗽 (@ALIAQUINTA) April 23, 2017
Iaquinta is tempted by the thought of fighting at the upcoming UFC on FOX 25 card at Nassau Veterans Memorial Coliseum in Uniondale, N.Y. But he still thinks he’s not getting enough compensation to justify the risk.
“I don’t know if the money’s worth everything I go through to do this,” said Iaquinta, who called for a new contract after his win. It worked out tonight, but it’s not going to be that easy. There’s a lot of years lost that I’m not making any money, and I’m not making sponsorship, and I’m in the video game, and I haven’t gotten a dollar for it.”
For beating Sanchez, Iaquinta indicated he made $26,000 to show, so he’ll presumably take home another $26,000 as a win bonus for the big win. According to Iaquinta, that won’t be enough to keep him around for good.
