UFC middleweight champion Israel Adesanya believes fighters must come together to be paid more after comparing his fellow roster members to strippers.
Adesanya is signed to one of the most lucrative deals in the promotion, but has watched as teammates from his City Kickboxing gym as well as other fighters struggle to reach the same heights. And he believes that their independent contractor status will make it difficult for fighters to make lasting change.
The revered middleweight is set to defend his world title for the fifth time this weekend against Jared Cannoner in the second fight of his new mega-money contract. But just weeks before he signed his deal in February, his friend and world heavyweight champion Francis Ngannou was paid just $600,000 to defend his belt.
