5 fighters who went broke after making it big in UFC
A common misconception is that fighters often strike gold after finding fame in the UFC. However, that is not always the case. Fans assume that athletes in the promotion deal with hefty paychecks. However, the fact that they fight only once or twice a year is often overlooked.
They must also keep funding their gyms, trainers, dieticians and nutritionists. These factors levy a significant toll on their wallets.
What's more, due to the nature of the sport, chances of suffering serious damage are overtly high. In the event of an injury, fighters are often shackled to the sidelines for long periods and sometimes indefinitely. This results in a financial drought, especially if they are the only breadwinners in the family.
Other widespread factors that lead to financial trouble include debilitating spending problems and fighters' tendency to engage in extravagant lifestyles. Although some earn millions of dollars, spending money on excessive cars, houses, clothes and parties often costs them heavily.
The % of revenue paid to their athletes by each league/organisation…
Does UFC fighter pay need to be increased?? https://t.co/L0onfj5VAJ
Fighter pay in the UFC has been a rather contentious topic. Athletes have been complaining about remuneration for quite some time. Moreover, the structure of sponsorships that bars fighters from capitalizing on income independent from the UFC is yet another factor that plays into this highly disputed issue.
This article looks at some fighters who made it big in the UFC but suffered a massive fall from grace that led to significant financial strife.
#5. Jared Cannonier - UFC middleweight
Coming off a massive win against Kelvin Gastelum, one would imagine that Jared Cannonier would look to enjoy life before competing again. However, his comments during the post-fight interview hinted at his life heading in a completely different direction.
“I'm broke!” Your winner ladies and gentlemen…number 3 ranked fighter Jared Cannonier. 😢https://t.co/6W3iCKnCYt
While in conversation with Daniel Cormier, Jared Cannonier detailed his intentions of picking another fight instead of waiting for a title shot against Israel Adesanya. He cited financial strife as the main reason behind his reluctance to stay on the sidelines.
In a subsequent sit-down with Ariel Helwani, Jared Cannonier went on to detail how his inability to fight due to injuries cost a lot of money. He had no source of generating revenue like sponsors or deals in the entertainment business; however, he was spending a significant amount of money on gyms, taxes, credit cards, his kids, and more.
Cannonier is an elite contender in the UFC. He is the No.3-ranked middleweight, only behind Paulo Costa and former interim champion Robert Whittaker. The fact that a top contender is facing financial issues paints a sorry picture for the UFC's remuneration policy. Cannonier's estimated net worth is currently $1M.