Do you think in our lifetime we'll ever see..

[Violent Demise]

VD,

I think your being a little impatient. MMA as we know it basically started in 1992 and didn't really start to pick up speed till Zuffa bought it in 2001 who didn't really start seeing a real return on their investment till 2005-2006. The pay has gradually increased and I think we will continue to see it rise. When you look at the meteoric success of the UFC in the past years, sure you would think they are being cheap, but then when you look at the business models who have paid big money and then failed maybe not. Jay Heiron recently was quoted at being very upset at not fighting on the canceled Affliction card. He specifically mentioned that his sponsors only paid when he fought. He didn't mention what he would have been paid by Affliction. Lets for argument sake say a dark card fighter on a UFC show gets 5k from sponsors and 10k to show from the UFC. Thats 15k (not counting win/KO/Sub bonuses), multiplied by 4 fights a year thats 60k annually. Sure not a salary that one will go out and buy a yacht with but not doing too bad either. MMA is still a young and small sport relative to others, as it grows so will the salaries that both the superstars and lesser fighters make. I think it says something that the public is always bringing up the pay and not the fighters. Maybe they know something we don't.

You forgot to subtract the normal taxes and I'm sure there's some type of trainer or agent taking a cut as well. That 60k sounds more like 35k

Just like every other American that pays taxes and has expenses. No one forces these guys to do this for a living nor forces them to fight in the UFC. Once again when fighters not internet posters with and axe to grind start complaining about their money I'll start taking it seriously.

No axe to grind. If you can't see the problem on the horizon that's on you. Hell, maybe you can see the problem and just don't care. If you want to tell me "I enjoy watching the UFC for the entertainment. But really it's of no concearn what becomes of the fighters afterwards" that's fine too.