PFL Champ Vadim Nemkov Claims UFC Fighters Deserve Much More Money for Risking Their Health

The UFC is the biggest MMA promotion in the world, but it has faced criticism for a long time, and the pay structure is the one that gets called out most. Recently, middleweight champion Sean Strickland caused a stir by saying he was unhappy with his UFC purse. This time, though, the complaint didn't come from a UFC fighter. It came from a champion on the rival promotion's side. PFL heavyweight champion Vadim Nemkov says the UFC's pay is the reason he never signed with the promotion.

Vadim Nemkov Reveals Why the UFC’s Massive Revenue Failed to Attract Him

Nemkov believes the UFC makes huge money, but the fighters who put their health on the line get very little in return. He feels the people who step into the cage and make the fights happen deserve to earn a lot more for the risks they take every time they compete.

Nemkov stated, “The UFC is a huge money-making machine There are massive sums involved and the fighters get paid mere pennies Those who put on the show. those who make the fights happen they should be earning much more because of the heavy toll on their health.”

For those who don't know, Nemkov is the PFL heavyweight champion. He trains with MMA legend Fedor Emelianenko. Before moving up to heavyweight, he was the Bellator light heavyweight champion. He made the jump in 2024 because cutting weight had become too hard on his body. He has won 20 fights, lost two and had one no-contest. Meanwhile, given he hasn't lost in his last 14 fights everyone wants to see him fighting the best fighter in the UFC.

Josh Thomson Names the One UFC Heavyweight Who Could Give Vadim Nemkov Trouble

Josh Thomson is one of the people who would love to see Nemkov fight in the UFC. He believes the 34-year-old has the skills to become a champion there, but he thinks Hokit would be a tough matchup. In Thomson's view, Hokit's wrestling could cause Nemkov more problems than anyone else in the division.

“Give me those guys outside the UFC. Maybe Vadim Nemkov didn’t want to come because of the relationship of Fedor with the UFC. He is a great heavyweight. I think he gets it done and becomes a UFC champion. The guy he would struggle against is Josh Hokit because of the wrestling,” Thomson said on the Weighing In Podcast.

Thomson also thinks the UFC heavyweight division is thin. In his view, only a handful of fighters at the top really stand out: Alex Pereira, Cyril Gane, Tom Aspinall, and Hokit. So the addition of Nemkov will be a huge thing for the heavyweight division.