"That is the standard" - Tom Aspinall talks about Paddy Pimblett making $12K and $12K for his second fight
Tom Aspinall is one of the few people out there that's not upset after learning Paddy Pimblett was fighting on a $12K show / $12K win contract at UFC London.
Aspinall, who headlined the UFC's first event at the O2 Arena in two years, was asked about Pimblett's pay on the SHAK MMA show. He took a practical view of the situation and said:
"That is the standard. I don't think a lot of people are aware of that. I know he's very popular and stuff but I'm sure now he's going to renegotiate and get a bigger contract than the average guy would who's on the second contract. Now he's probably due for his second contract and he'll be able to push a lot more, he'll be able to push the numbers a lot more than the average 2-0 guy in the UFC, I'm sure."
Watch Tom Aspinall discuss Paddy Pimblett's low pay on SHAK MMA below:
Pimblett spoke out on his pay after a social media post circulated claiming he made $107,000 for his win over Kazula Vargas at UFC London. Adding up his confirmed show/win money, performance bonus, and Venum uniform pay, Pimblett ended up making $78,000.
Vargas drops Pimblett almost straight away, but the Liverpudlian recovers and submits his opponent with a rear naked choke later in Round 1!
Two UFC fights, knocked down in both, but wins both via stoppage.
“Paddy The Baddy”’s ride is going to be a fun one. #UFCLondon twitter.com/alex_pattle/st… https://t.co/JhvJIlBx5b
If it wasn't for the UFC awarding a record setting nine performance bonuses, Pimblett would have walked away with just $28,000.
New @DavePortnoyShow out now. @theufcbaddy is up for a big payday youtu.be/CJ47CERdkqc https://t.co/5mQ64LJR09
Aspinall's pay is currently shrouded in secrecy, but with five fights and five wins with the UFC there's a good chance he's already sorted out that second UFC contract that pays him what a rising UFC heavyweight contender is worth.
Paddy Pimblett's pay has Ariel Helwani fuming at how slow purses have grown
On a recent episode of The MMA Hour, longtime MMA journalist Ariel Helwani went on a rant against the UFC's pay structure. Specifically, he pointed out that fighters like Pimblett are making the same low pay as fighters were nearly a decade ago. He said:
"When you go back to Conor's second fight back in 2013... against Max Holloway... Conor made $12K and $12K. What that tells me is - all this talk from all these executives at the UFC is hogwash. Nothing's evolved, nothing's changed... nothing has changed in 9 years. It has to change!"
Back in 2015, the UFC increased the minimum pay for new fighters to $10,000 to show and $10,000 to win. That is still the standard starting amount in 2022, even for hot prospects coming in via Dana White's Contender Series or established draws like Paddy Pimblett.
Watch Ariel Helwani attack the UFC for underpaying Paddy Pimblett below: