Former UFC fighter Derek Brunson discloses why he "may never fight again" following recent PFL debut
Former UFC fighter Derek Brunson made his PFL debut recently in a winning effort against former two-time welterweight champion Ray Cooper III.
While Cooper enjoyed early success on the feet, even momentarily dropping Brunson in the opening round, once the fight hit the canvas, the former UFC veteran took over. It seems the 39-year-old has been compensated with a sizable paycheck for his smart-cage debut.
In a post on X following his win, Brunson joked that he was considering retirement, posting:
"I made so much cash 💰 tonight, I may never fight again. It’s been real, guys 😂😂😂. PFL took care of your boy !!"
Brunson also shared his delight with the PFL's payment structure during an interview with MMA Junkie following the win. He said:
"PFL is a great organization. There are six millionaires tonight. I don't know if that [has] happened in any other promotion... That might be a new thing where guys [are] like, I want to go to the PFL... Would you rather take five years to make a million dollars, or would you rather make a million dollars in a year... Oh yeah, for sure [My pay here is an upgrade to when I was in the UFC]."
Catch Derek Brunson's comments below (2:44):
With UFC being historically criticized for underpaying many of its fighters, PFL's acquisition of Bellator makes for an interesting turn of events in the MMA landscape.
Derek Brunson predicts "endless possibilities" following the PFL-Bellator merger
PFL's acquisition of Bellator is expected to bring about a much-needed power balance in the MMA world. While UFC is currently the unparalleled industry leader, many see the acquisition as a step in the right direction to break its near monopoly.
Former UFC fighter Derek Brunson has high hopes for the merger. He believes it will open up a world of possibilities for the fighters:
"PFL-Bellator together, a lot of great fighters on both sides. Adding that together, you know, [creates] endless possibilities. Big for the company."
Catch Derek Brunson's comments below (1:18):
Brunson is 24-9 in his professional MMA career. Before crossing over to PFL, he was a top-ten contender in the UFC middleweight division for almost seven years.