Joe Rogan Says Fighters Should Be Paid More But Understands UFC’s Position
Rogan Sees Both Sides Of Issue
UFC commentator Joe Rogan believes mixed martial arts fighters should get paid more.
Fighter pay has been a major topic in recent weeks with fighters such as Jon Jones and Jorge Masvidal expressing frustration that the UFC is not willing to pay them what they’re worth. They’ve both also asked for their release from the promotion since.
In addition, the UFC’s overall pay system has been a topic as well as the promotion only pays 16% of its revenues (as of 2019 figures) to the fighters compared to other sports where there is a more even split between players and association.
UFC president Dana White has since retorted that the world is in a pandemic and that he is the only one organizing live sports. He added that he hasn’t laid off any UFC employee nor has he paid the fighters currently competing less than what they’re owed on their contracts compared to other sports. However, he has routinely dodged the question as to whether his fighters should have been paid more in the first place to begin with.
As far as Rogan is concerned, fighters should get paid more given the nature of the sport. At the same time, he can see the UFC’s side of things given the current situation worldwide.
“I think they should get paid more,” Rogan said on his podcast (via MMA Junkie). “I think everybody should get paid more. I think it’s a crazy way to make a living. I think you should get the most amount of money you can possibly get.
“But it’s also a business, and I think if they are struggling as much as I think they are – I don’t talk finances with them, but I know the (Endeavor) people who own (the UFC) are hurting, bad. They’re laying people off. Most businesses are hurting. All the entertainment business is (expletive). So what do they do? … Right now, in particular, there’s probably less money because there’s no live gate. And that’s an extreme amount of money. But there’s also fighters that agreed to certain deals. They agreed to, like, an eight-fight deal and ‘X’ amount per fight. And then they become more popular and they want to renegotiate their deal. And the UFC is like, ‘We’re just trying to stay open (during the pandemic). We’re not going to renegotiate anything. You can take it or leave it, but this is what it is.’ I think it’s a matter of that.”
That appears to be the case with Jones and the UFC.
“Bones” was looking for an improved contract to move up to heavyweight but claimed the UFC rejected him before he could name a figure. White, however, claimed Jones was asking for Deontay Wilder money which the latter vehemently denied.
Rogan isn’t sure which side is right or wrong.
“It gets to a situation where a guy like Jon Jones says, ‘Hey, I’ve got a contract for light heavyweight fights, but what do you want to give me to fight Francis Ngannou, because I want a lot of (expletive) money because that guy’s terrifying?’ And they say, ‘You get what you’re paid in your contract.’ And he goes, ‘Well, I’m not fighting, then.’ OK. I don’t know who’s right or who’s wrong,” he added.
Rogan ultimately believes the more successful promotions outside the UFC are, the better it will be financially for all fighters. At the end of the day, fighters should be compensated generously regardless.
“When it comes to me as a human who likes fighting, I know how (expletive) dangerous that (expletive) is,” Rogan said. “You should get paid an incredibly generous amount of money to step into a cage fight for millions of people to see.”
What do you think of Rogan’s comments?
