Jorge Masvidal has never been one to shy away from a heated debate, and his recent conversation with Jake Paul about UFC fighter pay is no exception. The veteran welterweight, known as "Gamebred," offered a nuanced take on compensation that might surprise some fans—especially those who've followed Paul's crusade against the UFC's pay structure.
Paul, the YouTuber-turned-boxer who's made a name for himself by calling out combat sports' biggest names, has long criticized how Dana White's organization distributes its massive revenue. Last year, he took particular aim after the UFC's staggering $7.7 billion deal with Paramount, questioning why so little of that windfall trickles down to the athletes in the Octagon.
But Masvidal, speaking on Paul's YouTube channel, offered a different perspective—one shaped by years of climbing through the ranks. Before becoming one of the UFC's bigger earners, he spent six years grinding his way up, experiencing every tier of the promotion's pay structure firsthand. That journey, he argues, gives him a unique vantage point on where the system truly needs fixing.
"It's good money if you do get there," Masvidal said. "But where we do need a dramatic change is more like when you're in the top 10, top 15." He's clear that while stars who pack arenas—think Conor McGregor or Jon Jones—deserve their massive paydays, not every fighter on the roster should expect the same treatment.
Where Masvidal draws a firm line, however, is on entry-level contracts. While some newcomers might start at just $10,000 per fight, he doesn't see that as the real issue. "In the beginning, I don't have a problem with it. You've got to earn your keep, bro. You have to show that you are the cream that has risen from these new signings," he explained.
"Now you beat all your classmates, now you're in the better tier. That's when they've gotta start getting paid more. Because you get caught up in the system sometimes. But the guys in the beginning, we've gotta find out who's good. You can't just be giving out the bag to some dude because he's 6-0, and then you look at his record and he's fought nobody."
It's a controversial take from a fighter who's earned his stripes the hard way—and one that adds a veteran's pragmatism to a debate that's often driven by outrage.