Nearly six months after his fight with Joachim Hansen at DREAM.13, Bibiano Fernandes tells Tatame he's finally been paid by the Japanese promoter.
The featherweight champion also says that DREAM once again contacted him to fight on their September 25 show after payment was received - possibly in a rematch with Hiroyuki Takaya - but Fernandes declined, citing inadequate time to prepare for the bout.
Asked for his opinion on DREAM's ongoing problems with paying fighters, Fernandes told Guilherme Cruz the following:
"Damn, man... I'm gonna be honest with you: if I ever stop fighting in Japan, I won't fight for another event because I have no interest. My plan is jiu-jitsu, I love jiu-jitsu. Whatever I can do to help jiu-jitsu, I'm gonna do. DREAM is a great event, but they're going through a difficult situation there, I don't know what's happening... I don't know if I would fight in the United States, because at my weight... they don't pay decently."
Photo from Bibiano Fernandes, via Tatame.
over 1 year ago
Chris Nelson
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Guess he's got a point
When some wild-eyed, eight-foot-tall maniac grabs your neck, taps the back of your favorite head up against the barroom wall, and he looks you crooked in the eye and he asks you if ya paid your dues, you just stare that big sucker right back in the eye, and you remember what ol' Jack Burton always says at a time like that: "Have ya paid your dues, Jack?" "Yessir, the check is in the mail." - Jack Burton
Really? A top level talent doesn't want to fight for Zuffa because they won't pay him shit, even if he became champion?
Shocking! Maybe if they didn’t artificially deflate wages for smaller guys via WEC branding, then the UFC could attract all the best athletes in the world and actually be a great MMA promotion… not just better than the rest.
"Someone is WRONG on the internet. What do you want me to do? LEAVE? Then they'll keep being wrong!"
-Randall Munroe
by pdl on Sep 8, 2010 6:08 PM EDT reply actions 11 recs
I came on here to post in support of your lonely crusade for the lower weight classes, but you beat me to it. Carry on the good fight, sir.
Thanks.
To think that they could double Jose Aldo’s show and win money, offer the same rate to his opponents, have four title defenses, and still be 20k under their disclosed budget for James Toney to step in to the octagon… what the hell?
"Someone is WRONG on the internet. What do you want me to do? LEAVE? Then they'll keep being wrong!"
-Randall Munroe
by pdl on Sep 8, 2010 6:54 PM EDT up reply actions 1 recs
You mean 200K, right?
When some wild-eyed, eight-foot-tall maniac grabs your neck, taps the back of your favorite head up against the barroom wall, and he looks you crooked in the eye and he asks you if ya paid your dues, you just stare that big sucker right back in the eye, and you remember what ol' Jack Burton always says at a time like that: "Have ya paid your dues, Jack?" "Yessir, the check is in the mail." - Jack Burton
+1 man.
If they do actually get their shit together and open this flyweight division i’d like to see what those guys are gonna make. 5k/5k? pitiful.
by destructivist on Sep 8, 2010 6:20 PM EDT up reply actions
It's so frustrating
I LOVE the WEC because the fights and fighters are amazing, but I have a hard time supporting it’s continued existence as long as the fighters keep making shit. Especially when there is a CLEAR way to pay all of these guys better by bringing them into the UFC.
"Don’t quote old fucks to me" – Brent Brookhouse
it stuns me that noone watches the WEC
the fights and cards are the best in the sport, a merger is necessary
We have a saying back home that if your coming on, COME ON!!!!
Yeah, he has a good point
“I don’t know if I would fight in the United States, because at my weight… they don’t pay decently.”
Are there even five WEC FWs that make more than 12k + 12k? Aldo, Gamburyan, Brown…. Faber dropped down to BW and Pulver got cut, so that may be it. One of just many reasons I want to see a merger.
He's telling the truth.
If zuffa had any sense they would put on their thinking pants and sign Bibi to fight in a title eliminator later this year or 2011 and build another contender for Aldo. And even sign omigawa too, that would be a huge blow to FEG.
If new prospects to the UFC can make 8-15K at 155 & above why are guys below 155 that are top 10 fighters making pennies?
Japan Pay?
And what exactly do they pay? From a lot we have seen in the past it always seemed right in the same ballpark.
That’s IF they even get paid, I gotta think getting paid less than you think you’re worth is better than not getting paid at all.
by ufc4 on Sep 8, 2010 7:23 PM EDT via mobile up reply actions
I have no credible information to go on
And i’m entirely making this up, but as their champ he probably makes between 40-80k. I dont think contracts there really have a win bonus, its more of a flat rate.
by destructivist on Sep 8, 2010 7:29 PM EDT up reply actions
I have no credible information to go on
And i’m entirely making this up, but as their champ he probably makes between $11 million and $20 billion. I dont think contracts there really have a win bonus, its more of a flat rate.
by Steve4192 on Sep 8, 2010 7:32 PM EDT up reply actions 1 recs
I'm going to assume this is correct.
"I trained with Steven Seagal."
by B.H. Farnsworth on Sep 9, 2010 12:05 AM EDT up reply actions
nice
i still think i was closer though… :D
by destructivist on Sep 9, 2010 2:46 AM EDT up reply actions
A guy who had to weight months to receive his paycheck says he doesn’t think he’d fight for a Zuffa promotion because they don’t pay enough? That says quite a bit about the WEC’s pay scale doesn’t it.
"I am a man who pisses largely and frequently, which they say is a sign of great mental activity" -Henry Miller-
by Neil Manich on Sep 8, 2010 6:39 PM EDT reply actions 1 recs
The WEC as it currently exists is fucking pointless
Bring the 135 & 145 classes into the UFC and turn the WEC into MMA’s answer to Triple-A.
To think that his win and show money wouldn’t be enough to pay for his Ferrari insurance is pitiful.
You know who I pray to? Joe Pesci. Joe Pesci. Two reasons; first of all, I think he's a good actor. Okay. To me, that counts. Second; he looks like a guy who can get things done. Joe Pesci doesn't fuck around. Doesn't fuck around.
George Carlin
Extended quote...
I fight for the sport, for my students, for my people… I don’t know if I would fight in the United States, because it looks like at my weight… The guys don’t get paid decently. I have my classes, so I don’t think it’s worth it for me to go there and fight for $10,000 and change my whole life in order to train and dedicate myself. I like to fight, I love fighting, but if the money goes, I’ll keep fighting jiu-jitsu, teaching jiu-jitsu, that’s what I want. There’s a time for everything in life, and when it’s over for me, it’s over. I’ll fight where God wants.
Makes sense. I can respect that.
Mike Goldberg: "You know Joe, When Matt and his brother Mark Hughes were growing up, they would pound each other behind the barn."
Twitter Handle = @xFenixKnightx
by xFenixKnightx on Sep 9, 2010 10:59 AM EDT up reply actions
How would he feel about taking Warrens belt in Bellator
Even if he just wins a tournament that’s still 100K.
Enough to put a down payment on a Bugatti Veyron or a faberge egg laying goose
People do not like to think. If one thinks, one must reach conclusions. Conclusions are not always pleasant.
- Helen Keller
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