Former bantamweight champion Cody Garbrandt has called on the UFC to offer greater support for fighters to help their transition into retirement.
According to figures released by state athletic commissions, the UFC pays about $12,000 (£8,960) to $20,000 (£14,900) to its entry-level fighters.
The UFC also offers win bonuses as well as $50,000 (£41,000) performance bonuses.
Fighters are also classified as independent contractors and are therefore not entitled to benefits like pensions or long-term health insurance.
Garbrandt, 35, is nearing the end of his mixed martial arts career as he prepares for his 23rd fight at UFC 329 on Saturday.
“I don’t know how many years I have left in the sport, but I pray that God lets me stay healthy, intact, and I can leave on my own terms,” Garbrandt told MMA Junkie.
“I think a lot of fighters don’t get that opportunity. They have to fight because they need the money. They have to fight injured. It’s tough.
“I wish the UFC did a little more in helping us out with that – healthcare, insurance, 401K (an employer-sponsored retirement plan in the US). It’s scary to leave something that’s secure and you’ve chased your whole life, and then it’s done and those paychecks don’t come in, those sponsorships don’t come in.”
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