Tim Kennedy Apologizes to UFC for Fighter Pay Comments, Says He Was Taken Out of Context
Tim Kennedy earlier this week criticized his employer, the UFC, for how much it pays its fighters, and tried to put into context for fans how difficult it can be to make a living as a professional fighter.
On Thursday, however, Kennedy issued a statement on his official Facebook page, retracting his comments and apologizing for them.
Kennedy, while a guest on the GrappleTalk podcast, characterized it as “pathetic” that so many fighters had to work a “day job” instead of being able to focus full-time on their fighting careers.
Kennedy has various business interests and his military career along with what he makes from fighting, which he said doesn’t amount to much after expenses and taxes.
“It would be slim pickings to survive off what I make in fighting,” he told GrappleTalk. “It's a good thing I have another job because the UFC doesn't pay very well.”
Kennedy said his comments were taken out of context, but accepted responsibility for his statements, apologizing to the UFC, company president Dana White, CEO Lorenzo Fertitta, and matchmaker Joe Silva.
Kennedy’s statement:
“I recently made comments regarding fighter pay. The intent of these statements was to highlight that professional fighters incur significant expense associated with their preparations to fight and that fighter compensation is still not on par with other major sports. While I am fortunate to have various revenue streams associated with my business interests, most fighters do not have that luxury. When you spend training camps with great guys with amazing talents and you see them barely making ends meet, while simultaneously seeing athletes in other sports with far less character and a far smaller work ethic making exponentially more, you can get frustrated.
Unfortunately, I made statements that alluded to how the UFC in particular pays its athletes. This was particularly offensive as Zuffa has taken better care of me than any other organization, even giving me a bonus for being amusing on Twitter. My choice of words was poor, not properly informed, and did not match my intent. Additionally, my comments were taken out of context. I can tell you that I have been fighting longer than most people and I remember all too well the days when there was no regulation or standard for an MMA promotion. I fought many times in Mexico where the rules were negligible, there were no physicals, and being paid was a luxury we didn’t expect. Our sport was shunned and was considered “human cockfighting”. Today, we are on Fox. We have doctors and insurance. We make more money than the average American. And we get these things by playing a sport we love. The only reason this is possible is because of Zuffa. They have legitimized the sport and taken better care of the athletes than any other organization, and the trend is only improving, with athletes making three times what they made on average five years ago.
My comments were hurtful and inappropriate. I accept full responsibility for the statements and apologize to the UFC, Dana White, Lorenzo Fertitta, & Joe Silva as well as anyone I might have offended with my comments. Fighting for the UFC is an honor and a privilege. I look forward to putting this situation behind me and focusing on my upcoming fight with Roger Gracie.”
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