| Sign Up | Google+

UFC Releases Lorenzo Fertitta ESPN Interview Clip, Slams Network's Pay To Boxers

Stay connected for news and updates

The UFC released an unaired clip of Zuffa co-owner Lorenzo Fertitta (right) talking to John Barr (left) about ESPN's pay to boxers.

This past week, UFC President Dana White promised a video clip that would put ESPN in its place following Sunday's Outside The Lines investigative piece on fighter pay. White made good, releasing a 64-second clip via the organization's YouTube channel that points a finger at the network for their pay to boxers.

In the clip, Zuffa co-owner Lorenzo Fertitta is talking with journalist John Barr and points out that analysts believe ESPN will make $2.8 billion in 2012. He then says he's looked back and for "ESPN fights" (think Friday night boxing events), some fighters made $275 for a four round fight.

"I think six and six is pretty good compared to that," Fertitta said. "There's multiple guys on those ESPN cards who make in the hundreds of dollars. For our fights we put on cable on Spike TV and Versus, we pay 10 times to the fighters what ESPN pays to the fighters."

"Six and six" is a reference to the thousands of dollars that entry level pay UFC fighters receive to show up and then win, respectively.

Since Zuffa signed a deal with Fox, White has been more outspoken about ESPN and their coverage of the UFC, reaching a boiling point this past week with the news the story was going to be released. Similar to how things have deteriorated with former broadcast partner Spike TV in recent months, it seems things are going to get a whole lot worse between Zuffa and ESPN before they get better.

White said more of the unaired parts of Fertitta's ESPN interview will come soon. See the clip after the jump.

                                                                                                                                                                                                               

Recent Posts

The Next Read

There are 177 Comments. Load Now. Loading

Shortcuts to mastering the comment thread. Use wisely.

C - Next Comment
X - Mark as Read

R - Reply
Z - Mark Read & Next

Shift + C - Previous
Shift + A - Mark All Read

Comment Settings

Live comment alert: Hide it!

Comments for this post are closed.

tracking_pixel_5349_tracker tracking_pixel_5351_tracker