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Jared Cannonier had a big win last Saturday night when he beat Kelvin Gastelum by decision in the main event of UFC Vegas 34, but then everyone could talk about his post-fight interview.
Moments after taking the win, the 37-year-old middleweight contender confessed he was “broke” and needed to fight again as soon as possible.
Thanks to injuries sustained inside the Octagon, Cannonier has only been able to fight twice in the past two years and this has put a financial burden on him and his family, especially after quitting his old job at full time where he worked at the FAA. (Federal Aviation Administration).
On Monday, during an appearance on The MMA Hour, Cannonier explained his comments while revealing how his paycheck goes missing before it hits his bank account.
“It’s okay, it’s just a natural occurrence if you will,” Cannonier said of his financial situation. “Of course after my injury I don’t lose control or anything like that, and a lot of people don’t understand that when we have these fights we owe people money after these fights. After this victory, 60 percent of my money is already gone. Between the gym, between management, between taxes, plus I have bills, credit cards, I have kids, I have a house in Alaska, I have a house here, I have a car Payments. This money goes. Money doesn’t last forever.
“Right now, the fighting is our only income. I don’t have any sponsors or anything like that. The fight is my only objective. I’m not here to advertise or anything like that. No one is asking me to be in the next Marvel movie. Not being able to fight for the past 10 months has put a strain on our pockets. So I’m glad I came back. Glad I received two checks plus this bonus from the main event. I’m glad I didn’t get hurt so I could start over.
Based on the UFC rankings, Cannonier is currently the third middleweight in the promotion, but he doesn’t feel like he’s being paid for the position he got in the division.
While most of the big sports leagues like the NFL or the NBA have collective bargaining agreements negotiated with player unions that guarantee athletes a certain percentage of earned income – usually around 50% – the UFC does not have a such agreement in place.
Based on information revealed in an ongoing class action lawsuit against the UFC by a group of veterans, the promotion has typically paid athletes 20% or less of earnings over the years. Unlike other leagues, the UFC also does not have a “minimum” contract contacted where athletes are guaranteed a certain salary like the NHL where players earn at least $ 750,000 per year for the 2021 season- 2022.
“I’m not here to say the UFC doesn’t pay me,” Cannonier said. “Because I’m pretty well paid by the UFC. It’s just that the money doesn’t last forever. I’m not here losing control, I’m not splurging or anything like that. I’m not stupid, I don’t spend my money on stupid stuff but it’s just life I guess. I would like to be paid.
“I am an elite level athlete. I would like to be paid as an elite level athlete. Like the one who’s in the NFL and the NBA and the one who plays baseball and football and does all that. They get sponsors, but they don’t need sponsors. All they need is that verification through the organization. That’s what we need here in the UFC. This is what we would all like.
While Cannonier was making his last salary after a fight with Robert Whittaker in October 2020 until he returned to the cage last Saturday night, he believes fighters should have a lot more financial security than that.
His two recent layoffs are due to injuries sustained in UFC fights, and although the promotion pays for the surgeries needed to repair the damage done, Cannonier still has to provide for his family until he can compete again.
According to Cannonier, he hasn’t been able to put a lot of money aside lately, which obviously affects him in the long run as he can’t fight forever.
“I should have six digits on my account that I don’t even need to touch,” Cannonier said. “I shouldn’t have to worry about ‘if I get hurt and I can’t fight anymore, what am I going to do?’ Unfortunately, this is a situation that many of us fighters find themselves in which I myself am.
“My wife is getting ready to get up and go to work, which goes against the structure we have as a family. She has so much stuff here at home, taking care of the house, taking care of the kids, making sure everything is where it needs to be so that I can go and do my thing, not having to worry about whatever. happens.
As his wife trains for a new job, Cannonier admits he’s been forced to alter his own training schedule to prepare for the fighting. It was the same hurdle he faced when he worked full time before before finally stepping down to focus solely on his UFC career.
To be clear, Cannonier says he wouldn’t want to fight anywhere else because he loves participating in the UFC, but he adds that “bigger fights should definitely mean bigger paychecks” and that is. not yet something he’s really experienced.
“I’m not complaining. It’s the pay structure of the UFC, we sign our contracts,” Cannonier explained. “But yeah, I want a bigger check. I don’t want to be like those guys than us. see in the NFL I’m not one of those guys stunting people and flossing and splurging like that. There are bigger and better things I could do with my money.
“I have never been so happy. This is the best job I have ever had in my life. I think the UFC takes very good care of its athletes. They make sure we have everything we need, especially during fight week. It is the first mixed martial arts organization in the world. I am part of history in this regard. I am grateful and blessed to be a part of this organization. Yes, I want more money. I wish a fight could hold me back for at least two years, not one. Then from that, we build that.
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