Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) president Dana White already made it known that he was disappointined to see Donald Cerrone put himself in the spotlight and back former Bellator MMA owner Bjorn Rebney in his efforts to promote the Mixed Martial Arts Athletes Association (MMAAA). Cerrone has since downplayed his actions after hearing White's take on the situation, citing that he's only in it to raise awareness for fighter's health insurance, pensions and benefits. But according to White, "Cowboy" makes way to much money to be worried about that stuff.
"I was saying about Cowboy, and he doesn't disagree: He's never won a title in the WEC or the UFC, he's headlined three events in his whole career," said White during an appearance on Tim & Sid on Sportsnet. "The guy is going to make $1.3 million from fighting this year, and that doesn't include his sponsorship, which could put him anywhere from $1.6 million to $1.7 or $1.8 million. I don't know what the number is, that's his business not mine, but how much money do you think you should be making Cowboy?"
As for implementing any potential UFC retirement plan, White believes that fighters of Cerrone's caliber can use what they're making now to set themselves up down the line.
"When we talk about post-fight," added White, "Cerrone and all the other fighters, you're making a million something [dollars] this year, that is your retirement. You can't live off the sponsorship money and throw a million in the bank? And do that for the next couple of years and hopefully invest the money wisely? That's all of our situations, we're all in that same situation."
There's zero chance that White is in that same sort of situation with this type of money, but you get the point. Cerrone, among others, make a lot of money. He has sponsorship outside of the cage and does enough work inside of the cage to bank millions from fighting. But does Cerrone still have a leg to stand on with his involvement of MMAAA?
Either way, Cerrone will have to continue his winning ways later tonight (Sat., Dec. 10, 2016) when he takes on Matt Brown at UFC 206 live on pay-per-view (PPV) from Toronto, Ontario, Canada.