# Josh Thomson Clarifies "With Reebox and Fox The UFC couldn't match Bellator Deal"



## _RIVAL_ (Mar 7, 2008)

*Josh Thomson Clarifies "With Reebox and Fox The UFC couldn't match Bellator Deal"*



> Former UFC lightweight and Strikeforce lightweight champion, Josh Thomson, just recently jumped ship and signed with Bellator MMA.
> 
> The UFC quickly put out statements saying that they had released Thomson, but the fighter says that’s not the case. In a press release he stated that it was him who wasn’t interested in working out a new contract with the UFC.
> 
> ...


----------



## King Daisuke (Mar 25, 2013)

"Any intelligent fighter is going to go where the money is, and for me the money was at Bellator.”

It's hard to argue with that. I'm no really a fan, but good for Josh.


----------



## Joabbuac (Jan 31, 2009)

King Daisuke said:


> "Any intelligent fighter is going to go where the money is, and for me the money was at Bellator.”
> 
> It's hard to argue with that. I'm no really a fan, but good for Josh.


I think it only applies to someone at his stage in his career... the stage where he knows he probably wouldn't win the title and wants to make as much as he can.


----------



## Leed (Jan 3, 2010)

I get that the Reebok deal ****ed up a lot of fighters income, but let's be real here... when you are 0-3 in your last three and on a career decline (that was never that good), how much interest and how big of a contract were you expecting?

For some reason I've noticed that fighters look at each other like equals... but they are not. I used this anology once already, where in the world do you have a profession that gets paid to do a louzy job? I don't mean to be harsh and with all due respect, if you are 0-3 it means you kinda suck, if you wan't to get a decent contract, get better, get some W's back on your record, trust me, you won't have any money problems if you do so.


----------



## oldfan (Mar 14, 2010)

I think Josh is a great fighter. He's been in some of the best wars and on the wrong end of some of the worst decisions I can remember. (melendez, Henderson).

It's a good thing to see a top fighter choose Bellator.


----------



## kantowrestler (Jun 6, 2009)

He maybe a top fighter but in reality he's past his prime as a top fighter. I wouldn't even rank him as a top ten fighter now. Granted he might be able to build that back up in Bellator, maybe.


----------



## RangerClydeTheBlue (Jul 11, 2012)

He's a tough fight even for the top 10 so he's a valuable fighter.


----------



## Joabbuac (Jan 31, 2009)

oldfan said:


> I think Josh is a great fighter. He's been in some of the best wars and on the wrong end of some of the worst decisions I can remember. (melendez, Henderson).


You must have a bad memory if those two are among the worst you can remember...


----------



## kantowrestler (Jun 6, 2009)

They were the worst decisions he was on the wrong end of is what he's saying.


----------



## publearnow68 (Sep 22, 2015)

This is going to go where the money is, and for me the money was at Bellator..


----------



## RangerClydeTheBlue (Jul 11, 2012)

This is getting released and signing with the only top org that wants you.


----------



## RangerClydeTheBlue (Jul 11, 2012)

UFC on Fox 7
$95,000 (includes $10,000 win bonus) 

UFC on Fox 10
$85,000

UFC on Fox 12
$84,000

UFC Fight Night 71
$84,000

Bellator Dynamite
$10,000 + no win bonus = $10,000







Sorry guys. I was completely wrong. Dat Bellator money :laugh:


----------



## kantowrestler (Jun 6, 2009)

This is for whom exactly? Also remember that sponsor money can sometimes total to more then the UFC payout. That's why the Reebok deal is so controversial.


----------



## RangerClydeTheBlue (Jul 11, 2012)

Former events pay is on I think MMA Manifesto. Bellator pay is currently on BloodyElbow (Bellator is soooo good for the fighters...that Tito Ortiz makes 6 times more than Liam McGeary). 

And sometimes sponsorship money across 10 fights doesn't even equal 60k (Joey Beltran). Sure, Josh Thompson might be making like 60k a fight on sponsors which would be solid as far as I know...but then he'd still be 15k less than a LOSING fight in the UFC?

Actually I wonder what he was getting paid. 10k win bonus is weird these days. I wonder if he was on 85k to show and 85k to win? If he was on that, he had the potential to make 170k a fight, maybe even 220k with a post fight bonus.

Irrelevant because the UFC released him anyways, but people keep trying to tell me that Bellator is this haven for the fighters....yeah....if you fought 20 years ago you've got a big paycheque coming in from Bellator. They probably paid Sakuraba more than half of these undercard.


----------



## kantowrestler (Jun 6, 2009)

Which promotion in question are you talking about that may have paid Sakuraba half of the undercard? That would be like in a smaller Japanese promotion. In Pride he was getting bank.


----------



## RangerClydeTheBlue (Jul 11, 2012)

I mean Bellator probably paid him more just to show up at their event than they did to actual fighters.


----------



## kantowrestler (Jun 6, 2009)

So you're saying they pretty much paid him one of those undisclosed bonuses then?


----------



## RangerClydeTheBlue (Jul 11, 2012)

....*Sigh*


I'm saying Bellator probably paid Sakuraba more to come to America and stand around for some pictures then they did some of the fighters on the undercard of this event.


----------



## kantowrestler (Jun 6, 2009)

Wait, Sakuraba was there?


----------



## RangerClydeTheBlue (Jul 11, 2012)

Yeah he's part of the Coker crew with Royce, Randy and Fedor. He did a staredown with Gracie for fun then sat and watched the fights. Probably did a signing or two.


----------



## kantowrestler (Jun 6, 2009)

In that case I agree this is probably part of the coup of getting veterans on board with Bellator. If it weren't for contract restrictions, Wanderlei would've done the same. UFC might be getting annoyed.


----------

