UFC Hall of Famer Anderson Silva recently said that the UFC antitrust settlement money was anything but free — and he has a pointed message for fighters frustrated about pay in the current era.
'Spider' addressed both topics on The Ariel Helwani Show, revealing it was Jon Jones who first told him about the class action lawsuit during a shared training session.
When people are talking about that, I really don't know. Jon Jones talked to me. One time I was training with Jon Jones, and Jon Jones told me about that. I said, 'Bro, I don't know. I think I go talk to Dana about that.' And Jon Jones said, 'That's the truth.' But this is not about UFC anymore — this matter happened, UFC has to pay. Check it out with your lawyer and with your team.
'It's Not Free Money'
When Helwani casually referred to the settlement as "free money," Silva corrected him immediately and with conviction.
It's not free money. I pay tax, but — remember — it's not free money. This money is what the UFC needed to pay for everybody. For me it's nothing free, because I suffered a lot for this money to come to my account.
Silva spent years as part of a class of fighters whose compensation was at the center of the UFC antitrust litigation. His framing — that the payout reflects wages owed, not a windfall — is a notable perspective from one of the sport's all-time greats.
His Advice to Fighters on Contracts
Silva was measured but direct when asked about fighters who feel the UFC underpays them. His view: the contract you sign is the deal you agreed to, and fighters bear responsibility for understanding what they're signing.
It's very hard to say something — because when you sign the contract, when you see the deal, you sign the contract. You know the deal you worked. Your lawyer, your manager have to explain what you signed. Everybody knows I have my fight with Dana, but inside the ring I know it's my work. I know how to work inside the ring. Outside is a business, and Dana worked for this business for many, many years. And the people, when they come sign the contract with UFC — they need to understand that and have your manager, have your lawyers, and stay ready to take the good decision.
He summed up his view of Dana White and UFC business in one line:
When you sign the contract, when you agree with everything in the contract, you can't say nothing. Dana is Dana — he's not personal, it's business.
The comments land amid an active ongoing debate about fighter pay in the post-PPV Paramount era, with fighters across the roster raising questions about how compensation is structured now that the UFC's revenue model has fundamentally shifted.