Ultimate Fighting Championship or Ultimate Cost Cutting?Ariel Helwani Shares That UFC Has Changed Their Protocols

Ultimate Fighting Championship has been around for 28 years now. From starting in 1993 to being a multi-billion-dollar enterprise, UFC has gone through some massive changes. UFC has gone from no division fights to massive multi-weight class events.

In addition to its increasing popularity and mainstream media coverage, UFC is still looking to squeeze in as much money as possible. A group led by William Morris Endeavor purchased UFC for around $4 billion.

Consequently, UFC has been in the news for mistreating its fighters. UFC is the biggest face in MMA, however, UFC fighters are reportedly underpaid. Recently, UFC has issued some changes to further cut more fighters’ expenses.

After the COVID-19 hit the organization, fighters and teams traveling with them had to do a compulsory COVID test. The cost which the fighters have to burden on their own. MMA editor, Nick Baldwin reshared a picture from Ariel Helwani’s report stating, “Some interesting news re: UFC requiring that fighters pay for their own COVID-19 tests, via @arielhelwani “

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Fans in comments seemed to have mixed thoughts on this. Some claimed that the test is not that expensive, and some criticized UFC on this matter.

Ariel Helwani’s unfiltered opinion

Recently Canadian journalist Ariel Helwani, who primarily covers mixed martial arts, revealed some interesting facts on his blog. While touching on Khamzat‘s next move and other fighters, Helwani touched on the COVID topic.

He wrote, “As of this weekend’s UFC card, fighters and corners will be responsible for paying for their own COVID testing expenses, I’m told. Up until this point, fighters and corners did a 10-day pre-departure test, domestically and internationally. That was paid for by the UFC.”

“International fighters/corners went to labs, domestic fighters/corners were sent kits. As of this weekend, they are responsible to take and pay for the tests themselves.”

Additionally, Endeavor reported a prosperous third quarter in 2021, with one of the company’s greatest assets, the UFC, producing record statistics. UFC has to take up measures in such a way that the fighters and their team are treated better.

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What do you think about this new implementation? Share your thoughts in the comment section below.