Lorenzo Fertitta on ESPN fighters ($$ issue)

[Phil Ivey]

Uh.... I thought this was common knowledge? People act like boxers get paid so much, the **** they do. The only difference is there's a bigger gap of pay in boxing so while there is a fighter who gets paid 200 bucks a bout you have Floyd Mayweather who makes 30 or 40 mill. UFC is different in that the pay gap between the main event and the under cards is much smaller.

But yes top boxers get paid more than top UFC fighters, although that's just one facet of the argument. And again UFC has not been around as long as boxing, it soared to huge success over the recent years and they're exponentially paying their fighters more as they get bigger. Oh and they don't have 1/4 of the politics that boxing has, they actually make the majority of the fights fans want to see.

[oc9979]

It is like Dan said, ESPN give the money to the promoter and the promoter split the money between fighters

[John Barron]

they ain't called cabdrivers for no reason. motherfuckers need 2 and sometimes 3 jobs to make a living.

[ChampBox@PR]

Nobody is making $200 for a fight thats total BS.

The least you can get is $800 for a 4 round fight!!

[DE100]

You don't find a little bit of irony that ESPN is doing a money piece on the UFC and they are showing live fights themselves with guys getting paid basically nothing?

Its hilarious that Rafael thinks its ok because its "out of ESPN's hands" since the promoters can freely choose to spend the money how they see it.

Do the under card UFC fighters sell $6,000 worth of tickets and PPV buys? Nope.

How much Money does these little events ESPN show pull in?

Dont care, ESPN can expose all of it and they should if it warrants it.

[fathergll]

It is like Dan said, ESPN give the money to the promoter and the promoter split the money between fighters

Rightttt...and how many stories on low fighter pay has ESPN done on any of these promoters they work with?

[fathergll]

How much Money does these little events ESPN show pull in?

Not much at all......but if the UFC is paying their bottom guys 20-30 times more than fighters that are being broadcast on ESPN, you don't see its a little silly ESPN doing a low pay special on the UFC?

Why doesn't ESPN do one on Top Rank?

Also doesn't the UFC have health insurance as well?

[DE100]

Not much at all......but if the UFC is paying their bottom guys 20-30 times more than fighters that are being broadcast on ESPN, you don't see its a little silly ESPN doing a low pay special on the UFC?

Why doesn't ESPN do one on Top Rank?

Also doesn't the UFC have health insurance as well?

20-30 times more percentage wise? See this all has to be based on the percentage of what give out, from what they make. And I guess we wont know till we get that information.

[Thornton Melon]

I am calling BS on that comment of fighters or a fighter only making $200 for fighting on ESPN. I knew a guy from our gym that made his pro debut in Ft. Worth last year on the Sergio Mora-Bryan Vera card. He was the opening bout of the card and wasnt televised and he was paid $1,500 and it was a 4 round fight.

[fathergll]

20-30 times more percentage wise?

Try money wise

See this all has to be based on the percentage of what give out, from what they make.

Not really, UFC is routinely giving out $60-100k bonuses for KOs and submissions. Plus UFC has health insurance for these guys up to $50,000.