"I don't think we'll ever see a fighter union" - Michael Bisping says fighters can 'make proper money' in the UFC
For all the talk about MMA fighters getting underpaid, Michael Bisping is of the opinion that the UFC is still a great source of "proper money" for the world's best fighters.
During a live Q&A session with fans, Bisping was asked about his thoughts on a fighters' union and how he believes the UFC salary structure could be improved. The former UFC middleweight champion opined:
"I don't think we'll ever see a fighter union. And the money's going up all the time. All the time. I mean, if you look back to the UFC structure when the UFC was first around... Now compared to then, the pay structure is way better. And again, I sound like a company man and I sound like a shill – I know I do – but I'm honest. I'm just telling the truth. If you're really, really good, if you're really good, if you're one of the world's best, you're going to make a good living in the UFC. You're going to get rich. You're going to make some proper money."
Bisping admitted that he's aware that he sounded like a "company man" as he still currently works for the UFC. However, the Manchester native pointed out that he has made a more than decent living fighting in the octagon despite having encountered a "crooked manager" and a lawsuit.
According to International Business Times, there are three salary tiers that a UFC fighter can fall into: low, medium, and high. The lowest earners make between $10,000 and $30,000, while the top-tier fighters earn anywhere from $500,000 to $3,000,000 per fight. Fighters can also earn $50,000 in performance bonuses.
Check out Michael Bisping's recent Q&A session with fans:
Michael Bisping says he'll fight Jake Paul for $5 million
Michael Bisping retired in 2017 and has shown no inclination to make a comeback. However, the former UFC middleweight champ claimed that he's willing to step into the boxing ring with YouTube sensation Jake Paul for the right amount of money.
Sean Strickland recently revealed that his asking price for fighting Paul is $5 million. During a recent episode of his Believe You Me podcast, Bisping echoed Strickland's statements, saying:
"Yeah, you throw me $5 million, I'll fight you anywhere, any rule set, anything, any Bob. I could do with $5 million. I mean, who couldn't?"
Check out Michael Bisping's podcast below: