Miesha Tate is one of the higher-paid female athletes on the UFC roster. However, Tate recently revealed that around 98% of the totality of her purse was gone due to expenses in training camp.
Miesha Tate Speaks on Fight Purse
The figure deemed as Tate’s purse for UFC Vegas 31 was approximately $200,000. Although Miesha made an additional $50,000 as one of four winners of the “Performance of the Night” bonus, it’s unclear if the figure she mentioned represented the inclusion of the prize. Nonetheless, Tate broke down her finances in a recent interview on Sirius XM.
🎙️"My whole fight purse was gone. Show and win for this fight." — @MieshaTate explains to @RyanMcKinnell how "at least 98%" of her purse went towards expenses for her #UFCVegas31 comeback fight 🔊
⬇️⬇️⬇️⬇️⬇️ pic.twitter.com/ZqUj4AvpBn
— MMA on SiriusXM (@MMAonSiriusXM) August 19, 2021
“I at least spent, it had to be about 98 percent at least. So, maybe I walked away with a little bit. But, out of $200,000? Yeah, I’m just lucky I made a bonus, to be honest.
“I’m serious, that’s how much it costs. Because you take taxes off the top. 70 percent of my fight purse is gone immediately, right off the top. So I have 30 percent to work with. And that 30 percent I take to buy my organic foods, to get my – whatever – training gear, heart rate monitors, whatever other things that I need to invest in to make the camp go well. And it’s expensive. You know, it’s very expensive to eat like that.”
Issues with Fighter Pay
70% of taxes right off the bat seems astronomical. However, many fighters chimed in to explain that the life of being a professional fighter is costly. Not only do they have to pay coaches and trainers, but they also have to make sure that their bodies are nourished with the best quality food that money can buy.
Additionally, they have to make sure that their fitness is in peak condition, forcing them to invest in various forms of technology and cutting-edge training techniques.
The issue of fighter pay is a constant in the world of MMA. Each time a fighter shares a story of financial woes, the conversation always turns back to unionizing. However, it seems like a conglomerate of fighters coming together for a good cause seems distant.
