Lose Three Straight, Get Higher-Paying UFC Deal?

Photo by Josh Hedges/Zuffa LLC/Zuffa LLC

In a time where trying to get a raise in mixed martial arts (MMA) is all the rage, Tim Elliott is getting his, despite the fact that he’s on a three-fight losing streak.

You read correctly, an Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) fighter — who has yet to hold a title with the promotion — is getting paid more money on his new contract even though his last win came in late 2017. So how did the scrappy Flyweight do it?

He breaks it all down to MMA Junkie.

“I just got four fights, I think because they know it’s not about wins and losses in fighting. To be in the UFC is a lot. They have guys that are out getting in trouble and getting drunk, and guys that are missing weight. If they sign new guys, they don’t know if they’re going to be good fits in the promotion,” he said. “They know that I’m not going to cause any trouble for the promotion. They know I’m going to show up and make weight.”

Who could he possibly be referring to?

Elliott inked his new deal ahead of his bout against Ryan Benoit, which is set to go down this Wednesday night (July 15, 2020) on Yas Island, Abu, Dhabi. It will be the thirteenth time Elliott steps foot inside the Octagon. During his second and most recent stint, he has only managed to rack up a 2-5 record, but the former TITAN FC 125-pound champion says at the end of the day, while wins are definitely important to him and his employer, so is reliability and trustworthiness.

“They know I’m going to come out and perform, whether I win or lose. I just got arm-triangled in the second round and they gave me a $50,000 bonus. They know that I’m going to come. I’m a company man. They don’t have to worry about me,” he said.

“I’m on time for everything. I’m easy to work with. It’s not just fighting. It’s a business, and you have to be a businessman. I feel like I’m finally coming into that.”

Recently, several high-profile fighters have come out to speak against UFC’s pay structure. And while some may have gotten their bag of cash after some back-and-forth arguments and others seemingly on their way out empty-handed, there are still some who are holding out for better pay.

Nevertheless, it’s nice to hear a feel-good story proving that UFC does take care of one of its own without all of the drama.