According to UFC lightweight Kajan Johnson, the UFC has plans in place to launch an “initiative” in October that will financially benefit fighters.
UFC fighters will apparently be presented with a new money-making opportunity come October. That’s according to Kajan Johnson, who says he spoke to UFC COO Lawrence Epstein (via a representative) earlier this week and was told the mixed martial arts organization is planning an “initiative that is going to benefit the fighters financially.”
Apparently the initiative was supposed to launch this month, per Johnson, but was delayed until Oct. 1.
Johnson, a lightweight fighter with the promotion, reports that this initiative is directly linked to, and only came about because of, the impromptu Reebok meeting he helped set up at the UFC athlete retreat in May. At this time, however, the 33-year-old Tristar Vancouver fighter doesn’t know much more than anyone else. UFC athletes will be able to make more money, but he isn’t sure exactly how.
“[The UFC] hasn’t disclosed what it is exactly, but they did hit some sort of roadblock logistically or legally that halted them from being able to release and set it up in the middle of August like they planned,” Johnson tells BloodyElbow.com.
UFC officials did not immediately return a request for comment Wednesday afternoon.
“It does make me happy that they are doing something to help increase our earning power or maybe even put money directly into our pockets, which would be even better,” says Johnson. “It’s a whole lot better than nothing. Is it going to be enough? Is it completely going to bring our earnings up to what they should be? I highly doubt that, but I think it’s a step in the right direction, and that’s really all I can ask for at this point.”
Many proposals were made at the aforementioned Reebok meeting, including an extra advertisement on fight shorts for sponsors and the return of in-cage banners. But Johnson doesn’t think any of the ideas shared at the meeting in May will be immediately used.
“I have no idea as to what they’re going to do,” Johnson continues. “I kind of doubt that they’re going to use one of those suggestions. There’s no real reason, but my gut feeling is they’ve come up with a different strategy that they think works better for their business model and their deal with Reebok. ... But I do know that it’s directly tied to benefiting us in some financial way.”
Johnson says he expects the UFC will put the initiative into effect without running it by fighters, but that he’s also been asked about other ideas – including another UFC athlete retreat, and an easier way for fighters to train at the UFC Performance Institute – recently, which he appreciates. Johnson adds that he’s been in touch with the UFC every month or so since the retreat to check up on its latest plans.
“They had a couple ideas that they wanted to run by me, just get my opinion on. So that’s cool; it feels good to be kind of a part of the process. The athletes are the ones that are directly affected by it, so it’s great to get our input on them before they’re actually put into action.”
