MMA Legend Frank Mir Feels Cheated: “Fighters Deserve More Than They Get”
Frank Mir, a two-time UFC champion with a 23-year career, is speaking out about what he perceives as unfair compensation in MMA.
A Storied Career with Financial Shortcomings
Despite boasting wins over Brock Lesnar, Minotauro Nogueira, and Mirko Cro Cop, and facing legends like Junior dos Santos and Daniel Cormier, Mir never enjoyed a seven-figure payday. This realization dawned on him after comparing his earnings to boxers like Tyson Fury and Deontay Wilder.
UFC 100 Success Didn’t Translate to Financial Reward
Mir headlined three UFC pay-per-view cards, including the iconic UFC 100, which remains the organization’s third best-seller. However, his earnings from this event paled in comparison to what Fury and Wilder reportedly pocketed for their rematch, despite potentially selling fewer pay-per-view buys.
Mir: “Not at all,” he said regarding feeling fairly compensated for UFC 100. He told talkSPORT.
A Catalyst for Change: From Frustration to Advocacy
This disparity sparked Mir’s interest in the business side of MMA and a desire to see fighters receive a fairer share of the revenue they generate. He believes fighters should get a larger cut when events are profitable, ensuring their financial well-being beyond their competitive careers.
Mir: “That made me realise, ‘Oh, wow! I was the main event of that card, and I didn’t get seven figures and these guys got eight figures.’ It blew my mind and that was probably my first opening to go, ‘This card generated $50 million, who made the money?'”
Mir’s Vision for a Fairer MMA Landscape
Mir is now involved with the United Fight League (UFL) and hopes their model will pave the way for future fighters to be adequately compensated. He emphasizes that fighters are the core attraction and deserve to be a top priority in terms of financial distribution.
Mir: “We are not going to become millionaires off the back of the fighters. The show has to make money so we can continue to have a show but at the same time the fighters themselves are the most compensated.”
Not Quite Ready to Hang Up the Gloves: Fighting for His Daughter’s Future
While Mir hasn’t officially retired, his last fight was a Bellator win five years ago. He plans on two final bouts with UFL before transitioning to coaching. His daughter, Bella Mir, is an aspiring MMA fighter, and Mir hopes to ensure she has a financially secure future in the sport, something he feels he missed out on.
