News Thiago Santos explains move to PFL,$1 million prize is ‘more than I made all these years in the UFC'

John12

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Of course I want money to make my nest egg. I don’t want to wait until it’s too late [in my career], like almost retiring, to fight one last fight and try a lot of money. No, I really want to fight. I know I still can do great things in MMA, I still have a few more years of fighting. The moment had to be now. New opportunities, better purse. Everything made me opt for the change
 
I swear PFL is a money laundering operation. How can they afford these payouts with such low viewership and coverage? Nobody I know, including hardcore MMA fans, watch PFL at all.
 
A lot of his pay was disclosed so we know this is not true. Not that he got paid a lot though. I think he made almost 400k for the Jones fight and was making 100k/100k or close to that but just wasn't winning. Still a good move though but my guess is PFL will give him like 80k straight but won't even make it to the finals.
 
A lot of his pay was disclosed so we know this is not true. Not that he got paid a lot though. I think he made almost 400k for the Jones fight and was making 100k/100k or close to that but just wasn't winning. Still a good move though but my guess is PFL will give him like 80k straight but won't even make it to the finals.

PFL will pay him more than that. They pay Kayla $500k to show.
 
I swear PFL is a money laundering operation. How can they afford these payouts with such low viewership and coverage? Nobody I know, including hardcore MMA fans, watch PFL at all.
They are really only paying a few fighters well then the mill payout. I think they said Pettis is making 6 figures then the rest of the guys aren't making much. Chris Wade was making 35/35 for instance. Any of their "top" guys who got their success from the PFL and not in the UFC are making dog crap. For them the carrot is winning the 1 mill which isn't out of the question considering they have had many champs that wouldn't be in the UFC top 30 fighters.
 

Of course I want money to make my nest egg. I don’t want to wait until it’s too late [in my career], like almost retiring, to fight one last fight and try a lot of money. No, I really want to fight. I know I still can do great things in MMA, I still have a few more years of fighting. The moment had to be now. New opportunities, better purse. Everything made me opt for the change


His also lost 5/6 in UFC with the only win being walker. It is no surprise the UFC didn't want to pay him. It is the right call for both parties.
 
PFL will pay him more than that. They pay Kayla $500k to show.
Holy crap. I just looked it up, Pettis is making 750k to show (I'd assume he has no win bonus.) If they keep paying him that the man will never retire. Stephens made 100k100k. I have no idea how the UFC is keeping their mid-lower upper talent.
 
Holy crap. I just looked it up, Pettis is making 750k to show (I'd assume he has no win bonus.) If they keep paying him that the man will never retire. Stephens made 100k100k. I have no idea how the UFC is keeping their mid-lower upper talent.

Any one who has a little bit of a name and doesn't have realistic title aspirations anymore should go there when their contract is up honestly. This gravy train can't last forever so you should get it while it's there imo.
 
They are really only paying a few fighters well then the mill payout. I think they said Pettis is making 6 figures then the rest of the guys aren't making much. Chris Wade was making 35/35 for instance. Any of their "top" guys who got their success from the PFL and not in the UFC are making dog crap. For them the carrot is winning the 1 mill which isn't out of the question considering they have had many champs that wouldn't be in the UFC top 30 fighters.

Any one who has a little bit of a name and doesn't have realistic title aspirations anymore should go there when their contract is up honestly. This gravy train can't last forever so you should get it while it's there imo.

Seeing how utterly dominant Phillipe Lins was in the PFL after washing out of Bellator on the heels of multiple finish losses and being 1-2 in his current UFC contract, I wholeheartedly agree. That one million dollars is a solid incentive and a lot of dudes end up making waves/getting wins that you wouldn't expect. Unless you're already making solid money in the big leagues, no reason not to shoot your shot IMO.
 
I swear PFL is a money laundering operation. How can they afford these payouts with such low viewership and coverage? Nobody I know, including hardcore MMA fans, watch PFL at all.
aside from small mom and pop stores, businesses almost always lose money for a long time, it must have investors who thinks they can make a profit in the long term. UFC lost money for a long time before becoming profitable.
 
Seeing how utterly dominant Phillipe Lins was in the PFL after washing out of Bellator on the heels of multiple finish losses and being 1-2 in his current UFC contract, I wholeheartedly agree. That one million dollars is a solid incentive and a lot of dudes end up making waves/getting wins that you wouldn't expect. Unless you're already making solid money in the big leagues, no reason not to shoot your shot IMO.

I think it's more difficult to win the million than people think it is but if you have somewhat of a name just the show money is worthwhile.

The fact that Thiago Santos fought Jon Jones and didn't make a million is pretty wild, he headlined a PPV vs an all time great in a title fight.

Challengers don't get PPV points. He'll have made the flat challengers fee which is usually about $250k I think.
 
Holy crap. I just looked it up, Pettis is making 750k to show (I'd assume he has no win bonus.) If they keep paying him that the man will never retire. Stephens made 100k100k. I have no idea how the UFC is keeping their mid-lower upper talent.

It isn't like everyone is getting that. There is much bigger divide between the have and have nots there. It is great for fans however as they are legit option for many fighters. If you can win your fights and million, outside of being a UFC champ you are likely earning more than anyone else.
 
I think it's more difficult to win the million than people think it is but if you have somewhat of a name just the show money is worthwhile.

I agree, but even the perception/possibility might be attractive especially if you're not particularly satisfied with your current middling contract in the UFC/Bellator/wherever. I mean last year a lot of people were picking Anthony Pettis as a shoo-in to win the tournament last year with the expectation that he was coming off a two-fight win streak in the UFC and would easily be able to parlay that success into a PFL run. Instead he has looked utterly abysmal while Raush Manfio -- a relative nobody from the regional scene who had previously lost to the only big name fighters he had faced up to that point in Matt Frevola and Sidney Outlaw -- went on to win the whole damn thing while picking up wins over Showtime and Clay Collard in the process.

I'm just saying, weird things happen in the PFL and I can't really blame fighters for perceiving their chances of winning that jackpot as being solid regardless of the reality.
 
I'm not UFC Nuthugger. I think Dana is an "Ordered on Wish Wise Guy". But over the course of 24 fights with 7 OTN bonuses he didn't make $1m?

Na.

They don't get paid enough. For sure. But That's bullshit.

And counting the $1m for winning the tourney as his salary is fools gold. That's like putting a down payment on house then committing to payments from a casino night.

He'll get more for sure. But not meeeeeelions. And he won't win the tourney either. I hope he makes the money he needs before PFL folds. But he ain't gonna be ballin' by any means
 
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I'm not UFC Nuthugger. I think Dana is an "Ordered on Wish Wise Guy". But over 24 fights with 7 OTN bonuses he didn't make $1m?

Na.

They don't get paid enough. For sure. But That's bullshit.

And counting the $1m for winning the tourney as his salary is fools gold. That's like putting a down payment on house then committing to payments from a casino night.

He'll get more for sure. But not meeeeeelions. And he won't win the tourney either. I hope he makes the money he needs before PFL folds. But he ain't gonna be ballin' by any means
I see no reason to doubt him, he knows the exact money he is made after taxes and expenses like training camps, travels, managers etc. And his salary will probably be higher than his UFC salary. Pettis makes 750k so Thiago could make a couple of millions with a good contract, not counting the extra 1 million if he wins the tournament
 
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