Heretic;1686501 wrote:I agree with that to a point (I think it'd be better to draw in the casual fan, but I think it also dumbs down the sport in general and makes it look like semi-legit pro wrestling to a degree). I think Dana's bi-polar when it comes to that stuff, though. I remember when Brock Lesnar was in the early stages of his career and "cut an promo" or something after a fight and Dana was all on the "this is real, not sports entertainment!!!!" stuff. And now he's signing former pro wrestlers with no real MMA training

Raw Dawgin' it;1686509 wrote:I think he nailed it talking about CM Punk. All of us here have the same credentials as him. I don't even think he has an amateur fight record.

robj55;1686479 wrote:Well before that he smashed Gomi, Cerrone and Jim Miller. The contract he signed recently was before the Ben Henderson fight, so coming off those three great wins. So the UFC offered him 30 K to show and 30K to win coming off two top ten wins and getting ready to fight for a world title, that is a problem. Some of the blame must go to Mike Kogan though, Nate's manager, dude is an idiot and didn't do is job. The point is that the UFC has lowballed a lot of fighters, it's not just Nate.

Raw Dawgin' it;1686509 wrote:I think he nailed it talking about CM Punk. All of us here have the same credentials as him. I don't even think he has an amateur fight record.

sportchampps;1686595 wrote:CM Punk could probably have success on a regional MMA card just based on his athletism and background but I agree with Diaz he shouldn't be anywhere near the UFC right now. Dana like to make certain guys earn their place in the UFC thru TUF. I think that would be fitting for Punk. It would give him a nice MMA boot camp. He wouldn't win but he could get some great training and draw for the show. They should use him the same way they used Kimbo Slice or make him earn it like Roy Nelson.

jmog;1686528 wrote:I look at CM Punk the same way I did that one and done old boxer that Randy Couture beat in about 45 seconds year's ago (don't even remember the guys name).

He will get his butt kicked, and move on.

jmog;1686527 wrote:So they low balled Nate but paid Nick very well? Do you think Dana White loves Nick and hates Nate? They have the same attitude, pull the same BS antics, etc and Nick has even been popped for drugs a few times where Nate has not.

But yeah, the UFC screwed Nate...

bigdaddy2003;1686632 wrote:I guess I just don't think it's a big deal (Cm Punk). I understand Diaz's point, but as long as Punk doesn't get a title shot in his first fight, I'm ok with it.

robj55;1686634 wrote:You're cool with him making millions of dollars when veterans of this sport who have dedicated their life to it fight for tens of thousands.

bigdaddy2003;1686636 wrote:No. I didn't know his contract was for that much.

robj55;1686634 wrote:You're cool with him making millions of dollars when veterans of this sport who have dedicated their life to it fight for tens of thousands?

OSH;1686641 wrote:If he brings in the money to the business...why not?! Same went for Brock Lesnar. If only UFC signed Kimbo Slice and Lesnar at the same time...biggest ever signings for UFC. That could've been the biggest PPV ever.

Just because someone fights for 20 fights doesn't mean they get the money. They can be just jobbers.

Zoltan;1686523 wrote:If the MMA fighters want more money there will have to be a lot less of them. It just isn't popular enough to support 600 guys making a good enough living to retire off of. They need to think of it like a hobby, something they can do when they are young. Unless you are in the top 5% you are not going to not make much money, and need to get a job when you are done fighting.

It could very easily turn into boxing where 5-10 guys make huge money, and a smaller pool below them are doing OK. Boxing does not have the middle class like MMA does. It could not support a roster the size of the UFC, while providing health benefits, etc.

sportchampps;1686595 wrote:CM Punk could probably have success on a regional MMA card just based on his athletism and background but I agree with Diaz he shouldn't be anywhere near the UFC right now. Dana like to make certain guys earn their place in the UFC thru TUF. I think that would be fitting for Punk. It would give him a nice MMA boot camp. He wouldn't win but he could get some great training and draw for the show. They should use him the same way they used Kimbo Slice or make him earn it like Roy Nelson.

robj55;1686626 wrote:I believe there should be some type of tier system for the minimum a guy can make based on years/fights with the promotion. A guy who has 15-20 fights in the organization should be making 100-150K to show imo. Bad enough they are going to kill their pay with this reebok deal by taking in cage sponsors away. Some guys make more on sponsor pay than they do fight purse and they are going to take that away?

Raw Dawgin' it;1686655 wrote:Also - cool to hear a champ speak up about the Reebok deal.

http://mmajunkie.com/2014/12/xbox-sponsored-ufc-champ-demetrious-johnson-discusses-ufc-reebok-deal

jmog;1686658 wrote:So 15-20 fights gets a great pay day regardless of results? That isn't the case in any other sport but you think it should be true in MMA?

jmog;1686658 wrote:So 15-20 fights gets a great pay day regardless of results? That isn't the case in any other sport but you think it should be true in MMA?

robj55;1686716 wrote:If you're good enough to hold a job within the organization for that long and win meaningful fights then you should be compensated for it imo. It doesn't have to be exactly those figures but seniority should mean something when it comes to this, just like it should with the reebok sponsorship deal. You mean to tell me that Felice Herrig is gonna make the same as Nate Diaz when it comes to that payout? That's insane.

jmog;1686719 wrote:Results and putting people in the seats/PPV buys is what matters, not seniority. You must be a union guy in your day job where seniority means more than actually being good at your job and producing results.

Nate Diaz nearly got to that upper echelon but did not and has been on the downward spiral since. He is getting what the market says he should. If he could have got a better deal than 30k/30k show/win then he would have went to Bellator or whatever. You know it, I know it.