After retiring from the UFC, Matt Brown focused on his post-fight career, setting up businesses including his own gym. His 16 years in the UFC gave Brown an in-depth look at the promotion’s business practices. Now 43, he believes the conversation about fighter pay is more complicated than simply accusing the UFC of underpaying athletes.
The Hard Facts of the Fighter Way
On the face of it, it’s clear that UFC fighters are underpaid relative to the organization’s revenue. However, Brown believes the issue is not black and white. “It’s hard to expect the UFC to be completely accurate about it,” Brown said on “The Fighter vs. The Writer.” “They run the business, and they do it very well. They’ve done a fantastic job building the business.”
Brown admits that while the UFC’s approach to maximizing profits is effective, it doesn’t do it right. He argues that many people expect fairness from a business that, by its very nature, focuses on profit.
Issue Warriors Real Activity
According to Brown, responsibility for the warriors’ compensation now also lies with the warriors themselves. “If anyone is to blame for warrior pay, it’s the warriors — and I’m one of them,” Brown admitted. He reflected on how fighters often publicly supported the UFC, despite concerns about their paychecks. “I’ve never heard of a business where employees would say, ‘I shouldn’t be paid more,’” Brown said.
Brown’s approach highlights a paradox in the fight industry: While fighters may feel underpaid in private, publicly criticizing the UFC could jeopardize their career prospects Brown himself avoided controversy over pay, except acknowledged that he would not fare well fighting the UFC in this front.
Over the course of his career, Brown has briefly discussed pay with UFC CEO Dana White, which he describes as simple and generous. Brown’s experience reflects a broader issue: many fighters choose not to violently contest their pay despite their anger, for fear it could negatively affect their careers
“I’m always happy with how the UFC’s treated me,” Brown said. “But if I thought sticking around would pay me more, I’d do it in a heartbeat.” His comments suggest a nuanced understanding of the power dynamic between fighters and the UFC.
One commonly suggested solution is to form a warrior association similar to those in other major sports leagues. But Brown believes such a merger would have significant challenges. Unlike the NFL, where one union represents players across multiple teams, the UFC operates on a different structure and has no direct competitors.
“The UFC is like the [Dallas] Cowboys if the Cowboys had won the last 20 Super Bowls in a row,” Brown explained with a laugh. “They have full control over every Super Bowl.” This comparison highlights the dominance of the UFC and the challenges of implementing a union-like structure in MMA.
Brown offers practical advice for fighters who want to build a sustainable career. “If you’re an aspiring UFC fighter, you need to see the UFC as a platform to grow your brand,” he pointed out. He emphasizes the importance of using the UFC platform to generate revenue through other businesses. “Conor McGregor has also done quite a lot outside of the UFC,” said Brown.
