UFC News 2016: Middleweight Contender Says He Was 'Scolded' by Management for Talking About Fighter Salary; First NYC Event Planned
Number nine-ranked middleweight fighter Tim Kennedy has always been vocal about his opposition on some of the UFC's financial moves.
As far back as October 2015, the 36-year old fighter and United States Army National Guard member has been speaking against the lucrative deal between Reebok and the UFC. Many fighters have opposed the said deal, mainly because their own apparel sponsors bring in a huge amount of money.
In an interview with Bloody Elbow during the said time, Kennedy revealed he loses "$100,000-$200,000 a fight" because of the new deal, and is expecting for whatever incentive that the deal entails to be 'significant'.
Get Our Latest News for FREE
Because of his staunch and outspoken stance against some of the UFC's business decisions, Kennedy says top management has reprimanded him for it. In a report by FOX Sports, he revealed that company president Dana White once scolded him when he touched on another sensitive subject: fighter pay.
"I got my hand slapped for talking about fighter pay. That was a big one," Kennedy said. "I had Dana White yell at me in front of, like, 20 other fighters."
"And, I'm sure you see how quiet I got about fighter pay," he added.
Kennedy also made his intentions known about fighting "steroid-using Brazilians", naming former champions Anderson Silva and Vitor Belfort.
Meanwhile, the UFC has announced their plans for their first event in New York City, after the ban on professional mixed martial arts fights in the state has been lifted. On March 22nd, the state of New York passed a bill that legalizes professional MMA, since a ban was imposed in 1997. The verdict came after a bipartisan vote of 113-25.
Governor Andrew Cuomo made it all official by signing the said bill last April 14th. UFC officials have been looking forward to holding events in the Big Apple after the ban was lifted. And in a statement released in their official website UFC.com, the first event is being eyed to be held on November 12th, at the Madison Square Garden.
The report adds that the UFC also plans to hold fight cards in Upstate cities such as Syracuse, Albany, Utica, Rochester, and Buffalo.
