The day to day living of a fighter is crucial and without them having a day job, sponsors play a key role in this. There are a number of big name companies on the market who have been sponsoring fighters and letting them become full-time fighters.
The Fight Continues: Gegard Mousasi & Others Continue to Battle Fear The Fighter Over Non-Payment
On Tuesday, UFC Middleweight Gegard Mousasi put one of his main sponsors on blast via his official Twitter account.
The cat is coming out of the back this week. Non-Paying sponsors have become an epidemic in our sport. Honest fighters are being cheated.
— Gegard Mousasi (@mousasi_mma) December 9, 2014
I am putting all of the sponsors that have refused to pay me the money they owe on notice. I am calling u out bc. I know I am not the only 1
— Gegard Mousasi (@mousasi_mma) December 9, 2014
He continued to throw that company under the bus.
@Fearthefighter u have refused for my last 2 fights & still owe me money from my 1st fight. U owe myself and others. @ftfenergy @ufc
— Gegard Mousasi (@mousasi_mma) December 9, 2014
@Fearthefighter u promised me and @ufc that u would pay, and u lied to us. Instead of paying your debt u are investing in @ftfenergy
— Gegard Mousasi (@mousasi_mma) December 9, 2014
All @ufc fighters I encourage all of you to speak up about sponsors that are stealing from you. We have to support each other!
— Gegard Mousasi (@mousasi_mma) December 9, 2014
@Fearthefighter owes money to various @ufc fighters. They need to pay their debt.Stop stealing from honest fighters. @bisping @roynelsonmma
— Gegard Mousasi (@mousasi_mma) December 9, 2014
Prepared to support any fighter that is being cheated by @Fearthefighter Before u promote @ftfenergy 1st pay your debt to the @ufc community
— Gegard Mousasi (@mousasi_mma) December 9, 2014
@Fearthefighter your brother is a @ufc but u are stealing from his co-workers. Shame on u and @ftfenergy . Pay your debt. @AkiraCorassani
— Gegard Mousasi (@mousasi_mma) December 9, 2014
@Fearthefighter , instead of investing in @ftfenergy pay the @UFC fighters u owe money to. Pay your debt to our community.
— Gegard Mousasi (@mousasi_mma) December 10, 2014
Mousasi sent tweets to UFC President Dana White, as well as Lorenzo Fertita.
This is not the first time, Fear the Fighter has been in the news for not paying their fighters’. Earlier this week, former WSOF Featherweight Champion and current Bellator fighter Georgi Karakhanyan put Fear the Fighter on blast. As did John Dodson, Akira Corassani and Joe Wooster on behalf of Tim Elliot.
Hey Chad or whoever is the owner of @ftfenergy @Fearthefighter WHERE IS MY CHECK from my fight on June 21st #PAYUP #payyourfighters
— Georgi Karakhanyan (@georgimma) December 9, 2014
Hey @Fearthefighter Let me guess @JohnDodsonMMA has an incompetent manager that never sent an invoice? Or checks in the mail?
— Joe Wooster (@MidwestDaddy) December 7, 2014
@Fearthefighter You have 48 hours to pay me my money for my last two fights or I’m going to the @ufc @danawhite
— Akira Corassani (@AkiraCorassani) October 31, 2014
Exactly 6 months ago today @Fearthefighter sponsored @TElliott125 For the past 10 weeks we’ve heard “checks in the mail” #fightersbeware
— Joe Wooster (@MidwestDaddy) October 26, 2014
On January, 21 2014, Eric Apple posted a thread on the uber popular MMA site the UG, stating that he had agreed on a deal with them for his racing efforts.
“Just thought everyone should know, that Fear the Fighter entered into an agreement about a year ago for them to support my racing efforts. I was scheduled to start receiving payments in May of last year, and to get paid after every race aired on TV. I have yet to be paid a dime by these guys and they continue to either ignore me or put me off.
Its especially irritating considering I have a contract, and they are the ones who dictated the deal points. Why would you create a deal that you don’t intent to stick to? I want my $7500
Maybe this will get there attention? What say you UG??”
This thread has gone viral and has been viewed over 88,000 times, with over 700 posts.
Sponsors are there to keep fighters’ livelihood going and this is the thing that sets people back.
All of this comes on the heels of the UFC announcing their partnership with Reebok for official uniforms and ultimately ending fight-week sponsorships.
