The UFC is a global MMA promotion and fighters from all around the world proudly represent their countries in the UFC. Irrespective of the country, a common issue that UFC fighters complain about is the pay in the organization. This issue has been under intense scrutiny for a long time. A case against the UFC for the same is also set to go to trial next month. Meanwhile, Indian UFC star Anshul Jubli further shed light on the financial difficulties MMA stars face while fighting in the UFC.
Jubli recently sat down for an interview on the Liv MMA YouTube channel. During the interview, he spoke about the misconceptions fans might have about the bonuses that the UFC hands out. He said,
“So the thing is, the actual thing is, it was not 50Gs ($50,000). It was around 20Gs ($20,000). If you’re a foreigner fighting in the US, they take 35%. Then you have to give 20% to your management. Then you have to give 10% to your gym and this and that.”
Anshul Jubli won a $50,000 bonus in his second fight with the promotion. He won a performance of the night bonus. For a long time now, the UFC has been incentivising fighters to secure finishes by offering $50,000 bonuses.
The promotion usually hands out two bonuses, one for the fight of the night and one for the knockout of the night. However, there is no set number for it. In fact, the number of bonuses handed out is at the discretion of Dana White. However, Jubli’s story gives fans a realistic picture of what a $50,000 bonus actually looks like once the fighter makes all the necessary payments. Nonetheless, Jubli worked really hard and made it to the UFC as the first Indian fighter.
A closer look at the rise of the first Indian in MMA: Anshul Jubli
India is the most populous country in the world. However, MMA is extremely nascent in India and not a lot of elite fighters have emerged from the country. Jubli made history by becoming the first Indian to sign for the UFC. The 29-year-old participated in the Matrix Fight Night promotion, where he earned a record of 5-0 before being signed by the UFC. Jubli participated in the ‘Road to UFC series’.
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According to the promotion, “Road To UFC is a ground-breaking “win and advance” tournament, that features top MMA prospects. The athletes come from China, India, Indonesia, Japan, South Korea, the Philippines, and Thailand.”
Jubli’s first win in the UFC was in the Semi-Finals of the tournament against Kim Kyung-Pyo. This was followed by a win against Jeka Saragih in the finals. His most recent fight was a knockout loss against Mike Breeden at UFC 294.
