Colby Covington came to the UFC’s defense when Sean Strickland criticized fighter pay.
Strickland (29-6 MMA, 16-6 UFC) advocated for better pay in the UFC, and the starting $10,000 show and $10,000 win purses “criminal.”
UFC fighter pay has been a hot topic for years, but Covington (17-4 MMA, 12-4 UFC) thinks former champion Strickland isn’t in a position to make such remarks after the company financially put him in a much better position.
“My thoughts are, Sean changed his life, so he’s kind of hypocritical to be saying this,” Covington said on SOSCAST w/ Adam Sosnick. “Now he lives in a really nice mansion-style type house, you know, has great cars, and has money in the bank. So who is he to say this?
“He’s literally being a hypocrite too, like, he’s talking about the guys that just started in UFC. He’s talking about the $10,000/$10,000 pay? Yeah, that’s when you get your first fight in UFC. Let’s talk about what he’s making now. He’s making a guaranteed $500,000 to 1.5 million in that range per fight.”
Covington, a former interim champion and multiple-time title challenger, argued that the UFC should only reward fighters if they help them do good business in return.
“As a first time fighter in the UFC, you haven’t made the UFC any business, you haven’t done anything for the company,” Covington said. “So, why do you think you deserve to get handouts and get paid? If you go 0-2 on your first contract, you don’t win any fights, how should you ever deserve to get paid or get healthcare?
“You did nothing for the company. You added no value, and you made the company no money. So, Sean’s in the wrong here again. I don’t know why he’s so mad about the UFC, they made him a million or two.”
