Nate Quarry & Chris Leben air out some of the UFC's dirty laundry

speeds · Feb 20, 2014

Ex-UFC fighters Nate Quarry and Chris Leben, both members of the original Ultimate Fighter cast and as such potential UFC Hall-of-Famers, have had harsh words for their former employer in recent days.

speeds · Feb 20, 2014

Quarry:

When I signed with the UFC this is what I was told"
We can't pay you much but you can have any sponsors you want.
Then: We need to approve your sponsors.
Then: You can't have any conflicting sponsors.
Then: You can't thank your sponsors after fights.
Then: We are not approving any sponsors that we don't like their product.
Then: Your sponsors have to pay us a fee of $50,000 for the pleasure to sponsor you.
Then: Your sponsors have to pay us a fee of $100,000 for the pleasure to sponsor you.
If a sponsor has a budget of 10k to sponsor a fighter, they are then out. If there are 5 shorts companies in the UFC you can only go to them for a sponsorship. If they have spent their budget or don't want to support an up and coming fighter they give you shorts instead of money. If you're fighting for $6,000 to show and fighting 3 times a year, even $500 makes a big difference. When there is no competition they don't have to pay you. I lost And1 as a sponsor when the UFC enacted the tax.
At the UFC summit a fighter asked if he could wear his own shirt. Dana laughed and said, "Uh... we can talk about it." I turned around and asked the UFC lawyer if I could wear my OWN shirt and he said, "Sure, give me $50,000 and we can talk about it."
People have no clue from the outside what it's like to fight for the UFC. After spending 10-15 years chasing your dream only to see that the company it's been your dream to fight for cares nothing about the fighters and only cares about the bottom line.
When I was fighting for the UFC we got X-Mas presents like an iPod. A very bottom of the line iPod but it was still cool. Now the guys get a gift certificate to the UFC store and can use it ONE day. Any money they don't spend on that day is forfeited.
A fighter gets to use the gym at the hotel he's fighting at for free. The cornermen and everyone with him have to pay. So I'm helping Leben make weight the day of weigh ins and have to pay to go sit in the sauna with him. The UFC couldn't say, "The fighter gets 3 people to go into the gym with him the week of the fight."
That's just nickel and dime stuff.
With every little bit they try to squeeze out of the fighters, the more the other organizations will look more attractive.
I'm incredibly grateful for the opportunity to fight for the UFC and everything I have besides my daughter has come from fighting. But let's not fool ourselves. It's not a charity. It's a business. And they are doing everything they can to make money. The fighters are just a product to use and discard. Every up and coming fighter is the best ever. Every ex-fighter who then expresses an opinion is a coward, loser, etc, etc.
I fought for the world title for $10,000. Not a penny more. No bonus. No cut of the PPV. The gate alone was 3.5 million dollars. The third highest gate in UFC history at the time. And they must have loved the fight cuz they show the final punch at the start of EVERY UFC PPV.
And that's fine. Because it's a business. But sooner or later the allure of fighting in the UFC will not be as attractive as fighting for an organization that takes care of you, appreciates you, will let you have sponsors to help make up the income gap, doesn't trash you when you think for yourself, and on and on. Just like every business you work for. It's funny to me to hear people cheer for Dana when he says things that if he was your boss and he said them about you, you would be looking for another job. But when you're signed to a contract, you can't go anywhere. No matter how much you want to.
When I retired I received a form letter, EMAILED to me that said, "Should you choose to fight again you are still under contract with the UFC." I didn't even get a hard copy with a real signature that I could frame.
As I said, I love what the UFC has done for me and my family. And specifically what Dana has done for me.
But I also know it's a business. And that's the best piece of advice I can give to wanna be fighters. Fight for the love of the game. But you better treat it like a business. Because the promoter handing you a contract sure will.
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Did Dana White really say that about me? Or is that a joke?
I have no clue. If that's really the case then I should unretire so they can fire me and I'll be free
Either way it's a true statement. I'm retired. I'm doing much better for myself and family than I did as a fighter.
Of course, it all came from fighting.
However, the UFC made a pretty penny off my efforts as well.
It's all good. I've had internet warriors say I'm bitter. They should look up the definition of the word. I'm grateful. But I'm also not naive. It's a business. And there's never been a promoter in the history of sports that has made a nickel. Just ask them...
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speeds · Feb 20, 2014

Chris Leben:

I wish I would've drove truck last 10yrs, then at least is have insurance to see a counselor. Ufc left me broken with nithing
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Follow-up:

Means a lot that Dana and the UFC care and have reached out
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Mamba · Feb 20, 2014

Chris Leben has zero credibility. He probably blew all of his money on blow. The UFC gave him more than his fair share of shots.

speeds · Feb 21, 2014

Let me state that I had the numbers wrong for my fight against Franklin. I swear I thought the gate was 3.5 million. It's been pointed out to me that the gate was about 2 million. The PPV buys about 200k. But we really don't know for sure because that information is not disclosed.
How much did I make? $10,000. But that number is NOT important. Hindsight being 20/20 and all that, I should have negotiated a better deal. I should have negotiated like Randy did so I would have the rights to use my fight photos and videos.
But I didn't. Water under the bridge.
None of that is important. My last fight I was paid around 40k. Although I took a horrendous beating that took months to heal from and now have 13 screws and titanium in my face, I think I was paid very well for that fight.
Then why did I speak up in the first place? To change the past? To speak about low pay from 8 years ago? No, no I didn't.
I'm trying to address issues that are occurring right now with fighters. The sponsorships being cut, the sponsorship tax, things like that. Things that will benefit the fighters without hurting the UFC.
So let's look at some individual issues and look at potential solutions so I don't come off as a total whiny little baby:
Fight Week: Fighters are given two flights, one hotel room and $50 per diem
I suggest: Give the fighter 3 flights and $100 per diem. The days of one cornerman are over. Fighters are taking money out of their purses to pay for the numerous coaches they have to fly in to deliver the best fight possible.
Hotel Gyms: Fighters are allowed to use the gym for free, their corner has to pay to use the hotel gym where the fighter is actually fighting.
I suggest: The fighter and up to 3 cornermen get to use the hotel gym for free. This would cost next to nothing and is one little thing that shows the fighter that they aren't being nickeled and dimed.
Sponsorships: This is completely random. The last time I was dealing with the UFC, clothing and supplement sponsors had to pay $100k for the privilege of having a fighter put their logo on the fighter's shorts. Random companies don't have to pay a fee.
I suggest: Remove the sponsorship tax. This is going to bring back a myriad of sponsors that want to support the fighters and can't afford to pay 100k to the UFC.
UFC uniform: This is speculative but it seems that the UFC is moving towards a uniform for fighters to wear out to fight in. This is going to kill the remaining sponsors. No longer will they have a shirt sponsor if everyone is wearing the same shirt. No more shorts sponsors if everyone is wearing the same pair of shorts.
I suggest: Kill this idea. If the UFC is unhappy with certain fighters wearing inappropriate shorts or shirts, punish THEM. Not every fighter in the UFC.
UFC fight contract: I may be wrong but I believe the minimum wage in the UFC is $6,000. It goes up from there. I've had agents tell me they are pushing for a 5 fight contract. Why? If you're fighter goes on a win streak he can't demand more money. If he loses, he gets cut.
I suggest: A three fight NO cut contract. This lets the fighter know that for one year they are UFC fighters. They can focus on fighting and that's it. The UFC is going to be more selective knowing that the guy they sign will be around for a year. This gives the fighter time to get over the Octagon jitters. And build a fan base because the fans know this guy will be around for at least a year. Right now guys come and go. So what difference does it make if you have one guy signed for three fights instead of three guys that are one and done?
Pay scale: Again, I could be wrong, but I believe the UFC minimum is 6k.
I suggest: Starting salary $10,000 to show, $5,000 win bonus. If you win, your next fight is $10/7.5. The third fight on your contract would be $10/10. For one year the fighter knows that they will be making a minimum of 30k.
"Don't talk about money!" That's the golden rule when it comes to athletes. The average person will think you're an ungrateful crybaby and the owners will think you're ungrateful for all they've done for you.
"You got paid to follow your dreams!" Sure did. And much like a painter who loves to paint and someone comes along and offers to sell their paintings and makes a mint off of them, the painter deserves his fair share.
"You're saying this over social media? You should be a man and say these things privately and face to face!" I did. Over many years. And I was labeled an asshole and not a company man. And if you're not a company man that means no appearances and no exposure from corporate. And social media is today's version of picketing outside the offices. I can reach millions of people that are in my key demographic of people I want to reach instead of wearing a sandwich board outside an office. I did complain about having to pay to use the gym at the Palms to help my fighter cut weight. I was told rather soundly that I was the only one complaining and to be quiet. I did complain about sponsors being charge a tax or not being able to thank sponsors after fights and got THE call, telling me to be quiet. I even went to the MMA "journalists" and was told the repercussions of doing a story on such things would result in passes being pulled.
Do I represent every fighter? Hell no.
Do I think the UFC deserves to make the lion's share of the money? Hell yes. They are the ones that invested millions of dollars and years worth of time. And they are continuing to grow, worldwide.
And the UFC wants to present itself as a professional organization with uniforms and codes of conduct. And yet with all that, there is no one representing the fighters and what they want and need.
If you know me you would know I'm for increasing the minimum wage to about $10 an hour. But not $15 an hour. The minimum wage in the NBA is about $470k. I'm suggesting the minimum wage in the UFC be about $30k. You may call it apples and oranges but we have to start somewhere.
Feel free to quote stats that make me look like an idiot. Point out how I fought for the title and got brutally KO'ed. All I'm doing is trying to help my fellow fighters and speak my opinion. I'm not representing anyone but myself. I can only speak from my own experiences.
And my experience with the UFC was amazing. I got to fight for the world title, man! And Dana personally decided to pay for my back surgery. Not too many other bosses would do that. Everything in my life besides my daughter has come from fighting. And I'd do it all over again.
Oh, I'm not trying to generate interest for a comeback on my part. I'm not trying to promote Bellator or get cut from the UFC so I can fight for them. I'm sharing MY experiences. Good AND bad. And when I see the fighters losing sponsorship dollars for no good reason, that's when I feel I need to speak up.
Honestly, I don't enjoy this. But I have this little voice inside my head that won't let me sleep unless it gets its chance to talk.
Thank you all
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Nate Quarry & Chris Leben air out some of the UFC's dirty laundry

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Nate Quarry & Chris Leben air out some of the UFC's dirty laundry

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speeds $2.50 highball, $1.50 beer Staff Member Administrator GFX Team

speeds $2.50 highball, $1.50 beer Staff Member Administrator GFX Team

speeds $2.50 highball, $1.50 beer Staff Member Administrator GFX Team

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speeds $2.50 highball, $1.50 beer Staff Member Administrator GFX Team

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