Well, well, well....
Masvidal asked for a release from UFC if he's not going to get the fight and money he wants -
Disrespected’ Jorge Masvidal aligns with Jon Jones, asks for UFC releaseHe said:
If I’m not worth it let me go. Why make me fight for half of what I made on my last fight because the other dude can’t draw? Don’t tell me about a pandemic when reports today show highest stock market has ever been. Everybody getting back to work and you buying an island. Stop playing us and the fans.
He then went on and threw shade at anyone who'll criticize his statements
Watch the company men and the UFC white knights come out and condemn my train of thought, You’ll quickly see who’s in their pockets.
This is just their attempt at squeezing out more money. The trouble is, everyone wants Connor Mcgregor money regardless of whether they're at that level yet. It's also not just how good you are, but how good your opponent is. Nobody really wants to see a great fighter fight a shit one and that will be reflected in the PPV and subsequently how much the fighters get from the purse.
Dana White's response:
Anybody that doesn’t want to fight doesn’t have to fight, including Masvidal and Jon Jones and all these other guys. It doesn’t have to be because of the pandemic. These guys are independent contractors. This isn’t like the NFL where I can make you: ‘You come to practice and you do this or you’re going to get fined or you’re going to get this.’ These guys can do whatever they want. They can say whatever they want.
… We’re not begging people to fight. We’re offering fights because in our contract, I have to give you three fights a year. You have the ability to turn them down and not take them.
^ In other words, no fighter is indispensable. Unless the organization becomes unionized, UFC can still do whatever they want.
I don't know about you but I think he deserves to get paid more but the timing of his demands was just off. Not at a time when the world economy is still recovering from the pandemic. Not at a time when the UFC probably spent more than ever to set up an event.
There are pros and cons to how they're currently employed or contracted. At the moment they can turn down fights for whatever reason. Like Dana said, they're only contracted to offer them three fights per year and they can take them or turn them down without repercussion, but if they become employees then they will likely have to do what they're told and take whatever fights are organised for them. They might not want to take a fight for a myriad of reasons, but when you're contractual obligated it's hard to get out of them without faking some injury or something. The current contracts also allow for price negotiation and that's why some fighters get huge paydays. If they were just made employees of the UFC then they'd likely be paid a salary or would at least likely be forced to take less from the UFC. As you said, paydays will likely be at an all time low right now because of covid, but it's going to be a real big shame if we miss out on fights just because fighters are holding out for massive paychecks that might not ever come.
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