Khamzat Chimaev Trashes Ronda Rousey's UFC Pay Stance, Points to Her Olympic Days
The Ronda Rousey and Khamzat Chimaev war of words continues as Khamzat Chimaev just clapped back at the former UFC champ for her stance on fighter pay.
When Ronda Rousey went on a tear against the UFC over fighter pay, she probably expected plenty of support from the MMA community. What she probably didn’t expect was a sharp direct hit from one of the sport's most terrifying fighters, Khamzat Chimaev.
Rousey, the former women's bantamweight champion, has been extremely vocal about what she considers predatory pay structures within the promotion. Taking aim at the UFC's multi-billion-dollar broadcasting deals, "Rowdy" slammed the executive team for not offering a living wage to the lower tier of the roster. She even highlighted her upcoming Netflix-backed event against Gina Carano, boasting that every athlete on her fight card was guaranteed a solid $40,000 base pay just to step in the ring.
While plenty of veterans sided with Rousey, Chimaev had zero interest in hearing the complaints. The undefeated middleweight contender chimed in with a fiery response of his own on YouTube, calling out the former superstar for forgetting where her stardom actually came from.
“There would never have been Ronda Rousey without UFC,” Chimaev fired back, calling her stance ungrateful. “I hate this. If they pay good or don’t pay good, who cares. When she was Olympic champ, what did she make then?”
The Loyalty Debate in Modern MMA
Chimaev’s point hits directly at the reality of combat sports before the UFC hype machine takes over. Before Rousey became a global phenomenon, she was an Olympic judo bronze medalist struggling to make ends meet outside of competition. It wasn’t until she stepped into MMA, went on an absolute tear, and captured UFC gold that she blossomed into a mainstream superstar, eventually raking in millions across her storied 12-2 professional career.
Holding a pristine 15-1 record, "Borz" has made his perspective crystal clear: the Octagon gives fighters the ultimate platform to build a life-changing brand, and criticizing the company that made you a household name leaves a bad taste in his mouth.
Rousey, naturally, didn't let the comment fly without a response, clapping back by dismissing Chimaev's grueling wrestling-heavy style and doubling down on her fighter advocacy. But Chimaev’s stance remains a classic reminder of the generational divide inside the fighter meeting rooms. Some view the UFC as a stingy corporate giant, while others see it as the golden ticket that turns unknown grinding athletes into global millionaires.
