Middleweight champion Israel Adesanya knows the UFC can do better in terms of fighter pay.
‘The Last Stylebender’ is currently awaiting his next opponent. Adesanya was last seen in the cage in April, knocking out Alex Pereira to re-earn the middleweight gold. However, his next challenger won’t be decided until July, when Robert Whittaker faces Dricus du Plessis at UFC 290.
The middleweight champion discussed his return on a recent edition of the Impaulsive podcast. There, Adesanya discussed training alongside Logan Paul, his airport meeting with ‘Poatan’ and more. However, he also took aim at the UFC’s current bonus structure.
For the uninitiated, the promotion hands out four bonuses a night, at $50,000 apiece. While that’s a nice thing to earn after a knockout Adesanya believes the company can do better. The middleweight champion also referenced the UFC’s recent merger with the UFC, where the company was valued at $21.4 billion dollars.
Given that, the champion believes the UFC can, and should raise post-fight bonuses for athletes. It’s worth noting that last year, the promotion introduced the Crypto.com bonuses, which were quickly and quietly fazed out.
(via Cooper Neil/Zuffa LLC)
“My knockouts alone are worth $50,000,” Israel Adesanya stated on Impaulsive. “Alone, that’s knockouts, alone. Like my last one, bonus, $50,000. I get paid-, I’ve said this. The UFC, sometimes they bump it up to 100 for certain cards, UFC 200, UFC 100 they did, bonuses were 100k. When I knock someone I normally get a bonus, so I know my knockouts are worth $50,000.”
He continued, “…But like. The UFC and WWE merger, a $21.4 billion dollar company. I’m like, yo, they can go up. It’s been a few years, inflation has been going up. The bonuses have to go up, that’s how I feel. Well, I’ve told them this, I’ve said this publically, it’s nothing crazy.”
What do you make of these comments? Do you agree with Israel Adesanya?
