By Joël Pütz | Sports journalist
If the UFC is known for being the largest MMA organization in the world, it is also criticized for the low salaries it pays its fighters. The Frenchman Kevin Jousset did not hold back his words when he was questioned by RMC Sport.
On paper, a large organization also means large financial resources. In this game, the UFC has established itself as an absolute reference in MMA while Dana White has made it a slot machine in recent decades. One might therefore think that the federation would have no problem offering golden bridges to its fighters… but as so often, the reality here turns out to be very different from the theory.
Kevin Jousset and Fares Ziam honest about UFC salaries
For years, the UFC has been singled out for the sometimes pitiful salaries paid to its members. Making your debut there in particular is very complicated, since the sums received disappear visibly before the fighters can even touch them. Guests of the show The Changing Room on RMC Sport, the French Kevin Jousset and Fares Ziam did not mince their words as they will participate in UFC Paris.
Kevin Jousset : The figures are easy to see anyway… Basically, the first contracts, everyone has the same. Before I say a number, people need to understand that from this figure, you are going to deduct 20% between coaches and managers, you are going to deduct 30% tax, you are going to deduct all camp costs, extra flights that you have to pay for the second and third coach, plus the rooms…
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Basically, you will keep less than 50% of what you earn, or even 40%. It remains less. First contract, everyone has the same, it’s 10,000 + 10,000 in American dollars. If you win, the second (is) 12,000 and 12,000, if you win 14,000 and 14,000. Then you can renegotiate for a third contract and if you don’t win your fights, you stay at the same amount of money.
Fares Ziam : I started at 10,000, 10+10, but I was a student, I had the CROUS. (…) But yeah, of course the goal is to finish my career and have a full bank account, small businesses and retire in peace.
Kevin Jousset : And when I say 10+10, that means that if you don’t win, you only win 10. Once you’ve paid everyone, you basically have around 3,000 bucks left and you might as well tell yourself that… if you do this sport for the money, change sports.
Glory and victories are all well and good, but they’re not necessarily enough to fill the fridge every day. No wonder fighters like Cédric Doumbé, Francis Ngannou and Baki Chamsoudinov joined the PFL which offered more money. In the case of the Predator, he even slammed the door at the UFC where he was heavyweight champion because the latter refused to pay its athletes better.
The UFC may be synonymous with glory and constitute a goal in itself for many fighters, the reality is much less glorious than hoped for for novices. As Kevin Jousset says, you don’t join it to make a fortune…
