Paddy Pimblett's £9,500 UFC contract is "gone", according to his manager Graham Boylan.
The Scouse fighter is one of the most talked about prospects on the promotion's roster after an explosive set of first round finishes in his two outings thus far. And fans were stunned when he disclosed that his UFC contract had a guaranteed payout of just $12,000 to win and $12,000 guaranteed per fight.
Pimblett was earning bigger money for his biggest Cage Warriors fights, but ended up making considerably more after earning $50,000 bonuses for his stoppages of Luigi Vendramini and Rodrigo Vargas. However, fans and fighters alike were concerned, with boxing star Jake Paul even using his platform to raise a fuss about fighter pay with the Liverpool native a key example.
But his manager Boylan, who also runs Cage Warriors, has insisted that he will be earning considerably more for his next UFC fight; against Jordan Leavitt next month in London. Pimblett is one of the star attractions when the promotion returns to The O2 arena, and will be paid accordingly, to go along with his seven-figure deal with American network Barstool Sports.
'Everybody goes into the UFC on a standard contract," Boylan told Mirror Fighting after last night's Belfast event, where Rhys McKee was crowned welterweight champion. "There's no difference what you do, you have to go and prove yourself.
"I can categorically tell you now that contract's gone, that's gone - he's on f***ing big money now. It is what it is but I'm just happy for him."
Pimblett himself admitted that he would need to be paid considerably more to consider taking steps up in opponent after coming in for criticism for his current level. Vendramini was cut from the UFC shortly after being knocked out by the Scouser, while Vargas was 1-2 in the promotion before being submitted last time out.
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He explained that on his then-deal, he wouldn't be willing to take on a top 15 opponent or make the sort of jump up in class that one would expect of a fighter at his level of star power. But he now appears to be earning considerably more since becoming one of the UFC's most noteworthy names in the UK and European market, as well as capturing the imagination Stateside.
"Everyone just wants to talk about me and use my name for clickbait," Pimblett told the Cage Warriors YouTube channel back in April, days after his win over Vargas. "They want to talk bad about me and my manager [Boylan].
"People are just trying to use my name for clickbait, it's mad 24/7, that's the contract, a contract is a contract and I'll get a new one soon. You sign that contract when you sign for the UFC and I'll get a new one soon that will be six figures."
