Michael McDonald: 'I'm trying to make enough money'
Michael McDonald may find himself walking away from his MMA career if he can’t afford to pay for training.
Fighter pay was one of the hot topics of 2016 and that should be a trend that continues into the new year. Michael McDonald is yet another fighter that’s entered his voice into the conversation as the talented bantamweight puts his career on pause in an attempt to increase his immediate wealth. What’s truly unfortunate about this situation is that he needs money to pay for training if he’s going to continue his run as a mixed martial artist.
“I’m trying to make enough money right now to pay my bills and still have a little savings for a camp,” McDonald said as reported by Brett Okamoto of ESPN. “And it’s tough because I don’t know if camp will be perfect and I don’t know if I’ll pay for one, only to have my opponent back out. It’s always iffy.”
This is an issue that continues to creep up in the MMA space. Last year, Carla Esparza, a former champion, was selling off her personal items in order to have enough money on hand. Lightweight contender Al Iaquinta decided to walk away from MMA for the time to take up a career outside of the sport with more immediate financial benefits. According to Okamoto’s report, McDonald is ready and willing to take another fight, but he’s not sure he will have the money to pay for an extensive camp, which puts him at a disadvantage against any opponent.
If McDonald is forced to leave the sport or miss more time due to finances, the UFC will lose out on a very talented bantamweight. He’s currently ranked number eight in the division and is a former title challenger. McDonald last competed at UFC Fight Night 91 where he was defeated by John Lineker. Before that he defeated Masanori Kanehara which was his first fight in nearly three years. His combined payout for both of these fights is approximately $98,000 which includes the $20,000/$20,000 show and win money won at UFC 195, along with the $23,000 base pay for UFC Fight Night 91 and the $25,000 fight bonus and $5,000 in Reebok payouts each outing. This comes after spending nearly three years out of competition and without income from fighting due to injury.
“My goal is to fight, but I also have to keep my possessions,” McDonald said. “I’ve borrowed money before and racked up $15,000 in debt in order to train like a professional athlete. And I’ve went through injuries and lost everything, twice. I’ve lost my home and moved back in with my parents. The worst part is you never really know if you have enough. “
What is perhaps the most worrisome about this announcement is that McDonald revealed that he’s reached out to UFC leadership in an attempt to make something work.
“When people open their mouths and talk about how they’re not paid enough, it seems like they disappear. I’m to a point now where I have nothing to lose. The UFC isn’t paying my bills as it is,” McDonald said. “I wanted there to be a happy ending to this.”
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