Mark Hunt trashes UFC over fighter pay: “What’s the point of being a UFC fighter?”
It’s no secret that heavyweight MMA legend Mark Hunt is not a fan of the UFC, where he spent many years of his professional career.
Speaking on the latest episode of Submission Radio, Hunt once again shared his disdain for the promotion, this time criticizing the way it pays its fighters—even its heavyweight champions.
“There’s no prestige in that title, in the UFC title,” Hunt said. “There’s no money in that title. And that’s not just me telling you, you can see from the evidence that everyone’s doing,” Hunt said. “Why would you want to be a UFC fighter? Why would you want to be the heavyweight champion of the UFC? Why would you want to be the champion of these things when they’re just f*ckin’ paying them 16 percent? It’s garbage. It’s honestly garbage. When people say to me about the UFC product, I just sit there I cringe and I laugh. I just go, wow, you’re the world champion of wanting to ask for more money (laughs).
“Because there’s no money. You look at the boxing side, when you make it there, you make it there. When you make it to Anthony Joshua status, Joseph Parker, Tyron Fury, you make it. One fight is $100 million, $50 million. I mean, Conor made that money when he transcended to boxing. So, what’s the point of being a UFC fighter?”
Mark Hunt is slated to return to competition on December 16, when he will take on former Rugby player Paul Gallen in a boxing match.
“I’m a fighter at heart,” Hunt said of this contest. “I wanted to finish my career happy instead of being so bitter at fighting and fighting in general. Especially how they run things. I mean, yeah it was a good offer [to fight Paul Gallen]. Things have worked out well, we made a good deal. And it will be one of the biggest events in fighting on this card here in my home town, which I think is awesome. So, what better way than to finish it off with a couple of boxing fights and then move on, I think.
“I want to have six more fights, to be honest, and finish my career happy.”
What do you think of these gripes from Mark Hunt?
