Ex-UFC fighter calls out Dana White over Stephen Thompson paycheck dilemma; says he suffered for the rule when active
Dana White recently revealed that Stephen Thompson will not be getting the paycheck he's expecting for a scrapped bout after his last opponent failed to make weight.
'Wonderboy' was slated to face Michel Pereira at UFC 291. While Thompson successfully made the non-title welterweight limit, his opponent came in three pounds overweight. The matchup was discarded after Thompson refused to fight the Brazilian at catchweight.
Stephen 'Wonderboy' Thompson explains his decision not to fight at #UFC291
(via @WonderboyMMA) pic.twitter.com/6sIPQP2rxj
In the aftermath, Stephen Thompson expressed hope that he would get paid for going through a whole fight camp, making weight, and showing up to the weigh-ins on time. However, after White's latest comments, it seems Thompson won't be getting his dues. As a result, many fans and fighters sounded off on Dana White for not doing the right thing.
Former UFC star Tim Kennedy recently shared his two cents on the issue. Critiquing Dana White for not paying fighters if they don't accept short-notice replacement fights, Kennedy narrated a personal story outlining how he suffered because of the same. Re-tweeting a clip of White's comments, he wrote:
"This is what happened to me after my scheduled fight with Rashad. I had to cut weight twice and fight a new opponent on short notice. Gastelum smashed me."
This is what happened to me after my scheduled fight with Rashad. I had to cut weight twice and fight a new opponents on short notice. Gustlem smashed me. twitter.com/bloodyelbow/st…
Dana White on Stephen Thompson not being paid for making weight
Dana White recently addressed Stephen Thompson's payment issue and outlined how the UFC compensates its fighters in situations like these.
In the aftermath of the Thompson vs. Pereira bout being scrapped, 'Wonderboy' made it clear that he hoped to get paid for his efforts and was confident that the UFC would do right by him. While the promotion offered him a percentage of his opponent's paycheck if he fought at catchweight, Thompson refused to do so.
Stephen Thompson has on not being paid for UFC 291 pic.twitter.com/qxmmcGEWBX
In a press conference after Dana White's Contender Series 57 concluded, UFC president White answered a question regarding the promotion's official position on Stephen Thompson getting paid. He said:
"You decided not to fight, the guy was three pounds overweight, you get a piece of his purse if you take the fight… No, you don’t just show up and say ‘yeah, I’m not going to fight, I want a quarter of a million dollars’, that’s not how it works... There’s a lot of different ways that this gets worked out.”
He continued:
“You don’t fight, you don’t get paid necessarily in the contract. But we always make sure that we take care of everybody and we’re working it out with Wonderboy right now. It’s all being worked out behind the scenes, and this should all be worked out by Saturday.”
Dana White confirms that if a fighter's opponent misses weight and the fighter refuses to take another fight on short notice, they will not receive their purse
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