Fighting Ain't Easy, It's a Hard Knock Life for UFC 104's Jorge Rivera
by Kid Nate on Oct 22, 2009 4:29 PM EDT
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Kevin Iole does a feature on a working fighter, Jorge Rivera:
The 37-year-old Rivera is lucky because, fighting in the Ultimate Fighting Championship, he makes more than most. He earned $14,000 to show and $14,000 to win in his last bout, an April 1 victory in Nashville, Tenn., over Nissen Osterneck. He'll make $18,000 to show and $18,000 to win for his fight with Kimmons.
By no means will that kind of pay make him rich. He's not being asked to appear on "Dancing With the Stars." He was never considered for the lead role in "The A-Team" movie. Driving a Ferrari is but a dream.
He's a father of three and runs the Rivera Mixed Martial Arts Academy in Framingham, Mass., in order to help meet his responsibilities. Fighting is what he knows. He "grew up rough" in Massachusetts and his family struggled to make it day to day.
One of the things I try to emphasize here when I can is just how hardscrabble life is for the vast majority of MMA fighters. Even at the higher levels. Even in the UFC.
Only a tiny elite of mega-stars truly makes a good deal of money fighting MMA. The rest are essentially doing very high risk piece work.
Rivera has had a very successful UFC career. Especially compared to say, Derek Downey. He's fought in the UFC ten times and gone 5-5. That might not sound impressive but I'd love to see the statistics on how many people have fought in the UFC and how many of them have fought ten times.
And remember for every Derek Downey who makes it to the UFC just for one fight, there are hundreds if not thousands of hard-working, committed, talented athletes who devote themselves to the sport for years and never get close to accomplishing what Rivera has accomplished in his career.
And yet Jorge is struggling to make ends meet and risking his health because he needs the money now.
I'm not trying to make anyone feel sorry for Rivera, he's a free individual who has made choices in his life and accomplished a great deal he can be proud of.
I'm just saying, let's always remember that most of these fighters are NOT getting rich off the sport and deserve our respect and gratitude for their sacrifices for the sport we love.
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And this is why it annoys me when people say Anderson Silva’s magical elbow is cool cause he needs to support his family. Jorge Rivera needs to support his family. Anderson Silva just wants to get paid. Nothing wrong with that, but it’s insulting to guys who are barely making it to act like the mega stars are doing it to so they can make their car note this month.
The support his family thing is a silly idea, but he’s perfectly within his rights to maximize his income potential. You can only fight for so long and the money is only going to get better, as with all sports. I can understand how he wants to make as much money as he can while he can, and making enough money to support his family after his fighting days are over is a perfectly reasonable consideration.
I STILL poop rainbows.
I absolutely agree—- Silva should go make as much bread as he can, just cause he can. He doesn’t need a reason. Just don’t act like he’s just trying to put bread on the table. That’s all I’m saying.
Well, he isn't
People have suggested it, so that’s to argue with them, I suppose. Silva deserves every dollar he makes (and more) because he’s a once in a lifetime kind of talent. If this sport could make the sort of money now that it almost certainly will in the future, I’d love for all of these guys to get paid more. As it stands, they’re making a lot more than they ever have. Whether or not that amount is enough is really up to them.
I STILL poop rainbows.
While I understand your point, fundamentally, I respect mixed martial artists for their abilities, determination and discipline; not for any notion of sacrifice. MMA is (sometimes) a career choice and your abilities measure your worth. Like a chef, an artist (hello) or an architect. These guys aren’t drafted and rarely is it the case that they had to fight professionally to survive. I sympathize with Jorge for the loss of his daughter, but not for his career choice. Hope this doesn’t come off as harsh, but I just don’t salute fighters for voluntarily pursuing the sport.
I STILL poop rainbows.
semantics
I respect that Rivera could be doing other things and instead chose this crazy risky life for our entertainment.
Follow me on Twitter @KidNate
I’m mostly taking issue with the term sacrifice. A banker could have been a baker, but I wouldn’t term it sacrifice. In any case, we don’t really disagree. Just applying my take on the matter and I, too, have a very deep respect for mixed martial artists and what sort of dedication it takes to have any level of professional success doing what they do. I was a huge fan of the Downey piece you did and have hoped to see more pieces like it. I think Rothwell’s bit on the Countdown show garnered him a ton of new fans and that humanizing these guys and making them relatable is important to the growth of the sport.
I STILL poop rainbows.
but
a banker isn’t
SACRIFICING his health
SACRIFICING a more lucrative career option
SACRIFICING a normal 9 to 5 family life
I used sacrifice deliberately and stand by it.
Follow me on Twitter @KidNate
so you hold journalists in the same regard as fighters?
;-)
by bobthewriter on Oct 22, 2009 5:16 PM EDT up reply actions
lol
they’re certainly sacrificing lucrative career options. i’d love to write mma full time but my family couldn’t afford the pay cut.
Follow me on Twitter @KidNate
if you get a chance
go to a couple of sites that i think are very telling about the state of journalism today: www.angryjournalist.com and www.overheardinthenewsroom.com …
you’ll be glad you’re not being “paid” to be a journalist. :-D
by bobthewriter on Oct 23, 2009 2:58 AM EDT up reply actions
thanks for the links
I’ve read angryjournalist before. We’re certainly in a transitional era for the information economy!
Follow me on Twitter @KidNate
For a lot of fighters, MMA is the most lucrative career option. They’re knowingly taking physical damage— it’s part of the job description. And you’re taking major liberties in assuming how much time they spend with their families or how they structure their training regimens. These guys love what they do, and as Leland suggested in another comment, they’re having a lot more fun than a lot of us are. Your use of the term sacrifice was clearly deliberate, but your explanation doesn’t disregard the idea that most people make some manner of sacrifice in their career choice (many of whom do so with significantly less liberty to engage in a path of such great risk/reward).
I STILL poop rainbows.
i think we all make sacrifices
one way or another, doesn’t mean we as fans shouldn’t recognize the hard working journeymen fighters
Follow me on Twitter @KidNate
We agree on that, Nate
I’d like to think I have a higher regard for guys that aren’t on Top 25 (or 50 for that matter) lists than many. Maybe you’re right— we’re arguing semantics.
I STILL poop rainbows.
by Blackout612 on Oct 22, 2009 11:22 PM EDT up reply actions
What about the guys that built this sport for $500 to fight? I do salute the sacrifices of the fighters that had the vision that this sport would be as big as it is today.
I am blinded by a sea of green.
The same can be said of any sport.. But yeah— for guys that had to incur indelible damage to their bodies and minds for mere hundreds of dollars (at the highest level of the sport, I should note), they certain deserve some gratitude for paving the way. But, even then, they knowingly and willingly participated in the sport. I think we need to clearly regard that.
I STILL poop rainbows.
of course I salute the old timers as well
saluting Rivera doesn’t mean I’m dissing someone else.
Follow me on Twitter @KidNate
i understand the point about Rivera, but let’s make no mistake: $28,000 + 18,000 for the upcoming fight is $46K for the year. not exactly chicken feed, but combine that with owning his own business and if Jorge is managing his money decently, he’s earning a good middle-class living.
oh, and let’s not forget there’s an $18K bonus out there if he wins. $64K pre-tax … as a managing editor at a daily newspaper a few years ago, that’s $14K more than i made with bonuses.
so we’re crying for a guy who — when all of his income is combined — probably grosses six figures? interesting.
Add sponsorship monies gained from being on a televised card…
I don’t know. He’s might be making more money than I am at my full-time cubicle farm job with all those inclusions you mentioned, but I’m making well above average for my age. I don’t know, it seems like he’s still having a lot more fun than I am right now.
Follow me on Twitter @lelandroling
"Two things are infinite: the universe and human stupidity; and I’m not sure about the universe." - Albert Einstein
by Leland Roling on Oct 22, 2009 4:39 PM EDT up reply actions
i hadn't thought of sponsorship $$$
but you’re right about that … though that money is certainly less than for a headliner.
but here’s the other part: this is good $ for now. i hope he’s putting back some savings and planning for a time when he’s unable to fight. smartest thing he could do.
by bobthewriter on Oct 22, 2009 4:52 PM EDT up reply actions
Yeah, but his money for sponsors drops when he’s not on TV. So if he’s on like a UFN card, gets 18k to win, 18k to show, plus 5-10k in sponsorship dollars plus monies for any other pre or post-fight obligations… he could bank 50k for one fight.
Then he goes home and has the money coming in from his gym. It makes it even better if his wife is working as well, although that then adds to possible costs for daycare after school and stuff like that. It really isn’t that bad.
It’d be way worse if he had no other income stream but fighting. He’d be at the poverty line almost if he got hurt or something, and with that many children, I’d feel a bit bad if he got hurt… Corey Hill type of deal.
Follow me on Twitter @lelandroling
"Two things are infinite: the universe and human stupidity; and I’m not sure about the universe." - Albert Einstein
by Leland Roling on Oct 22, 2009 4:57 PM EDT up reply actions
and don't forget
he’s a good enough fighter to get KO or FOTN, which is a massive bonus.
i’m not saying the guy’s rolling in dough. obviously he’s a working fighter and martial arts gym owner. he’s got a family to support. but he’s also not Wes Sims, who was allegedly living under a bridge when the UFC called looking for heavyweights for TUF 10.
if Jorge is smart with his $, he should be okay.
by bobthewriter on Oct 22, 2009 5:05 PM EDT up reply actions
Honestly… with his background and the fact he stays in relatively good shape. He could do an extensive training camp for two months, and even if he loses… he makes $18,000. That’s way more than average middle class America makes in a two month span easy.
Follow me on Twitter @lelandroling
"Two things are infinite: the universe and human stupidity; and I’m not sure about the universe." - Albert Einstein
by Leland Roling on Oct 22, 2009 4:41 PM EDT up reply actions
Not to play the "poor athelete" song...
…but how much does a guy like Jorge have to pay for a good training camp? I took my first amateur fight on very short notice and when you factored in the previous month gym fees and a session with a Fitness coach, it cost me a little over a hundred bucks.
For all I know, it only costs the guy $1,000 for a quality two month camp and the UFC covers medical, travel or whatever, so he’s pocketing $17,000.
I’m just curious as to whether or not anyone hear has come across any articles that, while maybe not detailing it explicitly, talk about the costs of a good camp.
by black dragon on Oct 22, 2009 5:11 PM EDT up reply actions
That would have to be taken into account for sure.
Follow me on Twitter @lelandroling
"Two things are infinite: the universe and human stupidity; and I’m not sure about the universe." - Albert Einstein
by Leland Roling on Oct 22, 2009 5:20 PM EDT up reply actions
no body's crying for anyone
I’m just trying to point out that the guy isn’t a frigging millionaire.
And those numbers are gross, not net.
Jorge has to pay: his trainers, his cornermen, his coaches, his striking/jiu jitsu/wrestling instructors, his sparring partners.
He has to rent gym time if he leaves his home gym.
Etc etc.
There’s a huge difference between grossing $64K and netting $64K as a small biz owner.
Follow me on Twitter @KidNate
certainly
and i’m not saying dude is making out like a bandit … but he likely is grossing six figures a year. i don’t begrudge him that at all. and he, like most fighters, deserves more.
but unless he’s mismanaging his money, he should be doing okay.
by bobthewriter on Oct 22, 2009 5:20 PM EDT up reply actions
Something else should be taken in to consideration – this is a career with a limited lifespan. Making $100,000 a year is great, but if you can do that for only five years it doesn’t quit equal the $50,000 a year job for 20 years. Especially when you can look forward to have debilitating injuries in your retirement (and never mind not having health insurance). Add in the amount of time and training, which I am sure would make them eligible for a phd if it was offered as a course , and they are suddenly underpaid.
That’s why intelligent fighters (and all athletes, for that matter) make concessions for life after their sporting career. Or maybe we should sympathize with models, too..
I STILL poop rainbows.
I agree with you, but fighting does have a special element of dedication that almost no other profession has. How much does a fighter have to train? I’m guessing with the amount of striking, wrestling, grappling, and cardio they are in the gym 30+ hours a week. Only with that single-minded dedication can they get skilled enough to compete at the top levels. Well add on there regular jobs to make ends meet (for those starting and in the lower rungs) and they spend 70 hours a week working. Not a lot of time for night school to train for what comes after fighting. It’s almost like going for a phd, but in a field that has no uses outside the cage and where you might have trouble walking, let alone working, when you’re retired.
It's almost like working two jobs
Or owning a small business. Or being a full-time student with a full-time job. Or even being employed full-time and dedicating dozens of hours to training, but never being good enough to fight (or never wanting to). Should we sympathize more with those types, we spend hundreds of hours and thousands of dollars and never see any return?
I STILL poop rainbows.
It’s a good piece, Nate, but I don’t really consider it a sacrifice when it is by choice. I’m sure he can do some regular 9-5 job just fine. A sacrifice to me is, “My mother worked two jobs to put food on the table and she sacrificed her own personal life to do it.” not “I want to be an MMA fighter so I’m risking my health and financial security to follow my dream when in reality I could get a decent 9-5 job and not risk my health.” I’m not trying to be a dick or anything, just that I see the word “sacrifice” as something deeper than giving up certain securities in order to follow through on a choice. At any rate, I have mad respect for Rivera. I mean, you pointed it out: 5-5 UFC record is nothing to snicker at. Most fighters don’t make it to their second or third try.
I love me some Sexyama!
only 3 people are geting rich in the ufc and its not any fighters this is why a union is needed
by hyperextend313 on Oct 22, 2009 5:33 PM EDT reply actions 1 recs
Congratulations
Most ridiculous comment I’ve seen in months. You win a snap bracelet.
I STILL poop rainbows.
I have to agree with mr hyperextend
there’s a Chris Rock riff about the difference between rich and wealthy and the wealth is all going to Zuffa, not the fighters.
Follow me on Twitter @KidNate
Those poor bastards
Chuck Lidell’s house and cars
Randy Couture’s Las Vegas home
I STILL poop rainbows.
by Blackout612 on Oct 22, 2009 11:31 PM EDT up reply actions
again see Chris Rock
there’s a difference between rich and wealthy. The Fertittas are billionaires. That’s something no fighter will be.
Follow me on Twitter @KidNate
You’re right. Everyone will obsess over the $10-15 mil in pay that Randy has made from fighting since 2001 (over 15 fights with half the pay coming from his last 4 fights) but that doesn’t even come close to comparing to the $1 bil + the company’s value has gone up (which also doesn’t include Dana’s supposed salary of $2 mil or so a year.)
The more important note is that Jorge Rivera has fought 10 times in the UFC. 10 times! That has to be the definition of a journeyman. In any other sport you would imagine such a player would be well off, but in mma it gets you something in the ballpark of $150,000 over 4 years (excluding sponsors I know). If someone who’s fought in the UFC 10 times has only made $150,000 what about all the other fighters who aren’t fighting for a title? How few are making anything of note?
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