Five-time UFC world champion Randy Couture is no stranger to contract issues with the UFC. Throughout his multiple title runs, the US-born wrestler had struggled on every front with the top-brass from pay to media rights and he recognizes that overall fighters are not getting paid reasonably. In a recent interview, Couture explained how the UFC controls the big names behind the scenes.
Randy Couture Explains How the UFC Controls Top Talent
With multiple class-action lawsuits going on at the same time, it is obvious that the UFC is not paying overall fighters enough. The biggest class of fighters not getting paid are the mid-ranked fighters who feel powerless. Top-name fighters don’t campaign for change to help their fellow fighters enact any lasting impact. Randy Couture had attempted to to be a voice and speak out.
In one lawsuit, the plaintiffs claim that the UFC violated antitrust laws by using its market power to pay fighters less than they would earn in a competitive market. They argue that the UFC’s practices have allowed it to maintain a monopoly over elite MMA fighter services, thereby restricting fighters’ earning potential. The second lawsuit extends the claims of antitrust violations to cover fighters who competed from 2017 onwards. This case remains active and seeks monetary damages and changes to UFC’s business practices and contract terms.
In most professional sports, athletes are protected and represented through a union. For private contractors in boxing, athletes are protected by the Muhammad Ali Boxing Reform Act, which states that promoters must disclose all information about a boxer’s income to the fighter, ensuring boxers know exactly how much money their fights generate. Also, the Act limits fighter contracts with promoters to one year, preventing promoters from holding boxers hostage. For MMA athletes, there are no unions or Ali Act to assist them.
Randy Couture, the UFC legend, sat down with former UFC champion Quinton ‘Rampage’ Jackson on his podcast to discuss these issues. ‘The Natural’ Couture explained the tactics that the UFC uses to ensure that top fighters never speak out. Randy Couture explained:
“Hopefully, fighters are getting paid better. It sounds like the top guys—like Jon Jones—are making good money. I don’t hear them complaining. But that’s one of the tactics the UFC uses: side deals for top fighters. What the public sees isn’t the whole story. There are separate agreements that aren’t disclosed publicly.
“They’re separate contracts, not part of the public purview, and they don’t go through the commission. That’s how they keep the top-tier fighters from speaking out. They might offer a monthly retainer or a separate check that comes a few days later. The commission regulates the public purse to protect fighters from getting stiffed, but the side deals aren’t part of that.”
The UFC is a billion-dollar company that trillion-dollar private equity firms partially own, they have the means to ensure fighters do not ever unionize. Being friends with the government helps with lawsuits and suppressing the Ali Act in MMA.