UFC Heavyweight Champion Francis Ngannou has become the latest fighter to speak out about the controversially low fighter pay in the UFC.
His comments came after YouTube star Logan Paul entered the ring with undefeated boxing legend Floyd Mayweather on Sunday. The exhibition bout, in which Paul lasted the entire eight rounds, is expected to have brought ‘Maverick’ over $20 million.
“The Predator” took to Twitter to display his confusion at the state of fighter pay in the UFC compared to the purses provided for celebrity boxing bouts.
“It’s crazy to think that Logan Paul (0-1) just made $20M on a boxing exhibition. WHAT ARE WE DOING WRONG?” Ngannou said via social media.
While Logan Paul, a combat sports amateur who has never won a professional fight, walked away with around $20 million and a 10% pay-per-view share, Francis Ngannou earned less than a million in his last walk to the Octagon.
The Cameroonian defeated Stipe Miocic in the UFC 260 main event in March. His title crowning saw him collect $730,000, $230,000 of which came from bonuses.
When you say the difference in purses between Ngannou and Paul out loud, it really does sound concerning.
The push for increased fighter pay in the UFC has gained traction in 2021. Leading the way has been Jon Jones. His planned blockbuster matchup with Ngannou fell through when the UFC failed to meet his demands.
Just this week, Paulo Costa followed suit by withdrawing from his scheduled main event with Jared Cannonier, which had been set to headline the promotion’s August 21st card.
The Brazilian also took to Twitter to express his dismay at the money YouTubers are receiving to box compared to professional MMA fighters. He described it as a “disgrace.”
What do you make of the fighter pay situation in the UFC?
