Former UFC champion proudly announces UFL as first MMA promotion to provide full medical health coverage to fighters
Former UFC champion Rampage Jackson has announced that the United Fighters League (UFL) will be the first MMA promotion to provide full medical health coverage to fighters.
Jackson took to Twitter, alongside the promotion's founder Harrison Rogers, to break the news. 'Rampage' expressed delight at the UFL taking an unprecedented step towards taking better care of MMA fighters.
The former UFC champion wrote on Twitter:
"United Fight League is the first MMA League and Promotion to provide full medical health coverage to its fighters! Many people / companies talk about the need for it, or that companies SHOULD provide it. Well we DID it! With United Fight League."
See the post below:
United Fight League] is the first MMA League and Promotion to provide full medical health coverage to its fighters!
Many people / companies talk about the need for it, or that companies SHOULD provide it.
Well we DID it! With United Fight League
@HarrisonJRogers @UniedFightL https://t.co/wWrLZuq6Rs
The UFL's decision to provide some form of health care for fighters is something that many in other promotions, particularly the UFC, have lobbied for in the past.
Tony Ferguson, Luke Rockhold, and former UFC champion Francis Ngannou have all previously advocated for health insurance inside the UFC, but their efforts were in vain. Dana White responded to the suggestions and stated that giving fighters health insurance forever would be "f***ing crazy."
The comments were made at the UFC 263 post-fight press conference, where White said:
"We've been spending millions of dollars on brain studies for years, and now all this psychedelic stuff is happening. We're trying to figure out, a lot of guys [seem] to be interested in that... I don't know about health care forever, I mean... that's pretty f***ing crazy."
Watch the video below from 23:40:
Former UFC champion Francis Ngannou details reasons he departed the promotion
Francis Ngannou appeared on The MMA Hour with Ariel Helwani following his departure from the promotion to share details about his decision to leave.
'The Predator' was locked in a battle with the UFC for several years over an improved contract, but the terms that Ngannou wanted from the promotion were declined, so he left.
Ngannou had previously shared aspirations of competing in professional boxing and participating in super fights with the likes of Tyson Fury and Deontay Wilder. 'The Predator' explained that he wanted a clause included in the contract that would allow him to take part in boxing matches while still being signed with the UFC.
He also wanted health insurance included in the contract, as well as an independent sponsorship deal, which was declined. The former UFC champion said this:
"I asked for a sponsorship, the right to a sponsorship. I asked for health insurance, for a fighter's advocate in the board meetings. I couldn't have that stuff that I asked for."
Watch the video below:
Francis Ngannou on what he asked for in his contract.
#TheMMAHour https://t.co/znowmTWNXU