Bisping beat Luke Rockhold last year to much surprise on his way to landing the UFC middleweight crown, but still has yet to see the financial rewards.
2016 saw the best year in UFC’s financial history. Spearheaded by the sheer magnetism of pay-per-view (PPV) King Conor McGregor, the promotion also changed ownership with WME-IMGs $4 billion + acquisition of the company. It does not take a rocket scientist to see the impact that the ‘The Notorious’ has had in the UFC, and his ability to promote a fight with his larger than life personality and subsequently finish bouts in style has seen him justly rewarded for the revenue he raises for his bosses.
Of course, not everyone is happy to accept what they may feel are meagre purses in comparison to that of the lightweight champion of the world. The Irishman has influenced the majority of the 500+ fighters in the UFC’s ranks, from adorning suits at press conferences to practising their trash talking in an effort to raise PPV interest. If only it was that easy…
Reigning UFC middleweight champion Michael Bisping certainly feels that he has reasons to request a deeper lining on his pockets in anticipation of a grand payday. ‘The Count’ appeared on Monday’s instalment of The MMA Hour to vent off on why he feels left outside the golden circle of UFC’s money men:
“I’ll say this with the greatest respect to the company and Dana White. Dana’s always been very fair to me. Dana’s always treated me with respect and this and that. I’ve always been happy with the amount of money I’ve been getting paid. But, now I see we’re in a new age of UFC and I see gigantic paydays going around that I have never been a part of. And I’ve done well, don’t get me wrong, I’ve done very well, but I see a lot of other people making a lot more money. And that does piss me off a little bit. I’m not talking shit about UFC, they’ve always paid me well and I’ve been happy with my pay. I just would like to be a part of one of the gigantic cards before I retire. That’s all, just so I can get a big gigantic payday I can retire on. Could I retire now? No I can’t. UFC has paid me well and I have no qualms. I’ve always signed contracts and at the time I’ve always been happy signing those contracts. But I see Ronda Rousey and Conor McGregor getting $3 million guaranteed plus pay-per-view (PPV), so that’s a $10 million payday. I’ve never had a $10 million payday. I’ve never had a $1 million payday. So, yeah, of course, that’s why I want the money fights, who doesn’t? I’ve done this my entire life, dedicated myself to this sport, you have to earn it and I feel like I’ve earned it. I’m the world champion, I want to be a part of the biggest fights. That said, it’s a business, you create your own hype and people tune in.”
Bisping claims that a”gigantic payday” is the preferred option for him over a fight with Yoel Romero, which Dana White recently claimed is Bisping’s mandatory defence. The Englishman is a truly gritty veteran of the UFC, and many will feel that he probably deserves the opportunity more than others to make some money before he retires. George St-Pierre (GSP) is certainly the name which keeps popping up for the Manchester native:
“I haven’t signed to fight anybody. He (Romero) is the No. 1 contender, shall we say, so that sounds like the logical next matchup, and so be it. If that’s who I have to fight, I have to fight the best in the world. I have the belt and I have to defend it, of course, I have no issue with that at all. Yoel is a dangerous fighter, I know he is, I’m no mug. I know what he brings to the table, I know he’s a formidable opponent and I have no problem facing him. But if UFC came to me with the ‘GSP’ fight, I think I would take that one first, simply for the gigantic payday and then do Yoel next. I’m just hypothesizing.”
If Bisping’s words further cement the opinion that money means more than legacy in the UFC nowadays is uncertain. With over ten years of service where he has fought the best of the best in the sport, can he be denied for wanting an opportunity to provide for his family’s future?
