How is it
not?
- The fighters taking those spots are doing it happily, because that's more than they can make anywhere else. They're not hot prospects, they're not top 25 fighters. They're mostly novices.
- Getting locals to fight on the prelims helps sell tickets, which is a necessary part of Bellator's business model
- Having cheap local prelims allows Bellator to spend more on their main card, which is crucial, because
- BELLATOR MAKES FAR LESS REVENUE THAN THE UFC AND YET THEY STILL PAY OUT 3-5 TIMES LARGER PERCENTAGE OF THEIR REVENUE.
If they paid 25k each for prelims instead, none of those guys getting 4 would be on the card. They'd be ditched for fighters who are better, better known, and better draws. And they'd be taking $500 to fight at some half-assed local brawler.
And then there'd be less money for the main card and we'd get worse pay and worse lineups there.
Nobody in this sport has a Fountain of Infinite Money except the UFC.
And they're still the stingiest slaveowners around.