Jeremy Stephens isn’t convinced the UFC’s newly increased bonus payouts are nearly enough, especially considering how much bigger the company has become since the start of his career.
Ahead of his UFC 328 showdown against King Green this weekend in Newark, Stephens spoke candidly about fighter compensation during an interview with Full Send MMA.
The longtime UFC veteran, who made his promotional debut back in 2007, argued that the promotion’s current $100,000 post-fight bonuses still fail to reflect the UFC’s financial growth over the years.
“Now it is just corporations,” Stephens said. “They are like, here you go, $50 gs here, $50 gs here, and now it is $100 gs, but they were already doing that in 2007 at UFC 71 when I started my UFC career.”
“Lil’ Heathen” questioned why bonus money has not scaled more dramatically despite the UFC becoming a multi-billion-dollar business.
“So what the fu*k happened to the money?” Stephens asked. “Where is the budget guy on this, because the UFC is making all this money? Why aren’t we getting $500,000 bonuses?”
Jeremy Stephens Misses Old “Dana Duffle Bag” Era
While the UFC recently doubled its standard performance bonuses under the Paramount era, Stephens suggested fighters were often rewarded more generously behind the scenes in previous years.
“You are basically giving out what you gave out thirty years ago,” Stephens said. “For me, that doesn’t make sense; it is just really corporate. Back in the day, it was the ‘Dana duffle bag,’ bring back the good old days.”
The 39-year-old Iowa native also reflected on how sponsorship changes altered relationships between fighters and brands. Before exclusive outfitting deals with companies like Reebok and later Venum, fighters were allowed to secure and display their own sponsors inside the Octagon.
“Before the UFC sponsors took over, I had my own sponsors,” Stephens explained. “I had relationships, communication, and networking. There was so much more availability that opened up bigger platforms.”
“Now I get a check from someone I don’t even know,” he continued. “I kinda miss that intimate relationship you have with the sponsors and their families.”