Colby Covington has slammed Sean Strickland for criticizing Ultimate Fighting Championship fighters’ pay.
Strickland recently got into a spat with Mike Perry over the pay of BKFC fighters, and after Perry responded by criticizing the pay of UFC fighters, Strickland acknowledged that both organizations needed to improve fighter pay.
However, Covington disagrees with Strickland, pointing out that UFC typically pays its entry-level fighters $10,000 + $10,000, while Strickland likely makes closer to $1 million per fight. “Chaos” believes it’s hypocritical for the former middleweight champion to criticize the pay of a UFC fighter when he’s made a comfortable living off it.
“I feel like it’s a little hypocritical to say this because Shawn has turned his life around,” Covington said on SOSCAST with Adam Sosnick. “Right now, he’s living in a really nice mansion-like house, he’s got a nice car, he’s got money in the bank, so who gives him the right to say this? He’s literally a hypocrite, too. We’re talking about a fighter who just started in the UFC. We’re talking about $10,000/$10,000 paychecks. Yes, that’s the paycheck for your first fight in the UFC. Let’s talk about how much he’s making now. He’s guaranteed at least $500,000 to $1.5 million per fight.”
Covington also defended the base salary for UFC rookies. The former UFC interim welterweight champion argued that fighters shouldn’t expect huge paydays from a promotion when they debut, especially without first having a deal with UFC. Covington ended with a vulgar comment that he should be grateful to have a “good” home at UFC after an abusive childhood.
“As a first-time fighter with UFC, I didn’t bring them any business, I didn’t do anything for the company,” Covington said. “So why would I think I’m entitled to any assistance or compensation? I’m 0-2 on my first contract, I’m not winning fights, so how am I entitled to compensation or medical care? I’m not doing anything for the company, I’m not creating any value, I’m not bringing any money to the company. So, again, Shawn is wrong. I don’t know why he’s so mad at UFC. UFC made him a million or two million dollars. So why is he badmouthing UFC when he was allegedly sexually abused by his father as a child? He grew up in a broken home and now he’s in a bad home.”
