Some were dismissive over Paige VanZant’s recent complaints with fighter pay. However veteran Tim Kennedy is backing up her complaints, with similar gripes of his own.
When Kennedy was competing in the UFC, he was something for a favorite among fans, not just for his fighting skills, but his status as a decorated Special Forces veteran. All the way until his retirement, he was never far from the top of the UFC’s middleweight division. Although after he retired, he has spent a fair amount of time being a vocal critic the promotion, briefly even looking to start a union.
Tim Kennedy Stands By Paige VanZant
Recently UFC star Paige VanZant spoke out about testing free agency, feeling that she could make more money “working a regular job.” This is a sentiment that Tim Kennedy reciprocated with a recent post to his Twitter. Here he explained that in his time as a top 5 middleweight, he could have been paid more driving garbage trucks.
“I was a top 5 fighter in the world, fighting main events for the UFC, and I said I would make more as a garbage truck driver. That was almost 10 years ago. It’s pathetic that things haven’t changed @ufc”
I was a top 5 fighter in the world, fighting main events for the UFC, and I said I would make more as a garbage truck driver. That was almost 10 years ago. It’s pathetic that things haven’t changed @ufc https://t.co/OIUb33MfU3
— Tim Kennedy (@TimKennedyMMA) July 7, 2020
This is not necessarily an unreasonable thing to consider, knowing that the UFC notoriously under pays their fighters. Although it is worth noting that Tim Kennedy had similar spats of inactivity that Paige VanZant did, which could affect the numbers. Regardless the point still stands, and is continuing to be exposed, that these fighters are not paid nearly enough for being some of the best in the world.
