A UFC Ottawa fighter picked up a victory to open the card, but he wasn’t exactly jumping for joy.
Fighter pay has been a hot topic in the mixed martial arts community. Since the UFC is the top promotion in MMA in terms of popularity and revenue, they take the brunt of the criticism. Many believe that fighters are underpaid and one UFC Ottawa competitor vouches for that belief.
Cole Smith Criticizes Fighter Pay In UFC
Smith made a successful UFC debut, taking a unanimous decision against Mitch Gagnon. Speaking to reporters after the bout, Smith expressed frustration with his pay (via MMAJunkie.com):
“This sport sucks, man. Cutting weight, doing a bunch of (expletive) I don’t want to do, and I want to get paid accordingly. It’s one thing you’re fighting for peanuts your whole life. I’ve mooched rides, I’ve mooched food, my brothers have to give me clothes. It’s about time. I want to be paid. It’s bull(expletive) that someone in the NBA who doesn’t even touch the court is getting $600,000 while I’m out here fighting my ass off, and I’m getting $10,000.”
Smith improved his record to 7-0 with the win at UFC Ottawa. Gagnon was trying to avoid a three-fight losing skid.
