Jose Aldo continues to bang the drum for more financial security being awarded to young fighters.
The UFC featherweight champion has continued to push for the formation of a fighter’s union and has suggested an upheaval in how mixed martial artists get paid, hinting at a monthly salary for fighters rather than being paid on a fight-by-fight basis in which the UFC’s fighters now rely on exclusive Reebok sponsorship.
“I support this idea, of course.” Aldo told Combate. “In the NFL, Nike makes the uniforms, but teams still pay their athletes, the same goes for NBA. Life gets hard for fighters who are just starting and earn no pay-per-view money.
“We spend a lot with trainers, sparring partners, etc. Nobody in this day and age goes to a gym to be punched in the face for free.
“Whether we like it or not, we are susceptible to injuries which could leave us sidelined for a long time. That harms the fighter who only gets paid when he fights. If you’re hurt, there’s no income. It’s good to have sponsors, because that’s what keeps a fighter going.”
Aldo, who takes on interim champion Conor McGregor in a unification bout at UFC 194, is adamant that all athletes must come together to push for increased protection.
“Nobody has spoken to me about a union but it would be great,” Aldo continued.
“It’s a way to protect athletes, it could really help. Nobody considered this. Fighters are too disunited because rivalries between gyms in the past.
“Of course this is not as strong as before, but it still happens. It’s like this, if I don’t fight for a price tomorrow, somebody else will accept that money.”
We wouldn’t hold our breath Jose!
