"It does get pretty rough" - Kevin Holland weighs in on UFC fighter pay

Kevin Holland comments on UFC fighter pay [Photo credit: @ufc on Instagram]

Kevin Holland recently confirmed that UFC fighter pay isn't necessarily very lucrative, especially for those who are at the bottom of the totem pole.

'Trailblazer' recounted his experience as an up-and-coming prospect, revealing that the average fighter's payout is "not that much." On top of that, Holland pointed out that even if a fighter wants to compensate by being more active, it's not always up to them to decide when they get to fight.

Speaking on the controversial issue of UFC fighter pay in an episode of the Marshall Inu $MRI Official podcast, the welterweight standout stated:

"It's not that much when you first get started. You'd definitely love to have sponsors on the back end. Or when you first get started it's hard to be as active as I was in 2020, just because of the fact that you don't have a name yet. So you just kind of have to wait your turn. There was a lot of people in there. So yeah, it does get pretty rough. A lot of people, they get into the UFC and they still keep a regular job."

Check out Kevin Holland's interview in the clip below:

Kevin Holland defends Dana White amid UFC fighter pay controversy

UFC president Dana White often gets criticized for the perceived inadequacy of what his company pays the fighters.

The UFC boss previously pushed back on the criticism during a Contender Series post-fight press conference. According to White, fighters who complain about their salaries should look at Kevin Holland, who was compensated handsomely for fighting five times in 2020.

The UFC president believes fighters who compete more have far more openings than those who scrap less frequently, citing Kevin Holland as a perfect example. https://t.co/lamz7hR7Wk

Holland wholeheartedly agreed with White's assessment. During the UFC Fight Night 193 media day, 'Trailblazer' urged his peers to change their perspective regarding UFC fighter pay:

"You gotta be more active. You have to be more active so you can get this money. Money is a lot. You need that money so you can take care of businesses and other stuff like that. Family, and so on, and so forth. But people go, 'Oh, people in the NFL make this much money, people in the NBA make this much money.' … Bruh, you made $30-40K off one fight. If you fought twice, you make $80K. That’s still more than what the person over here working every day is making."

Watch Kevin Holland's interview below: