Do you UFC / Pride fighters have managers like boxers?

Question

I don't remember reading stories about conflicts between UFC / Pride fighters and their managers like you do in boxing. Maybe the UFC fighter doesn't negotiate but takes the offers available to fight in certain events. It may also be why they make so much less than elite boxers. I haven't a clue which is why I asked.

Answer 1

Most top fighters do have managers. Monte Cox manages much of the top talent in the UFC (Rich Franklin, Matt Hughes, etc.) A few of the top guys, such as Frank Shamrock, manage themselves, but that is the exception not the norm. Recently, Sherdog.com did an article on Ken Pavia, an up and coming manager that manages Mike Pyle, Martin Kampman, Jake O'Brien, etc. To tie it back to your original question, he came from the world of boxing. Here's a link to the article if you're interested:

http://www.sherdog.com/news/articles.asp?n_id=6479

Answer 2

Yes they do. A lot goes into a fight other than just showing up and kicking ***. Check out 'Warrior Nation' on MSNBC every Tuesday night. It gives you a behind the scenes look at the lives of mixed martial artists. The last episode focused on an MMA married couple and a female manager. Managers work with fight promoters to get their good fighters more money and their unknown fighters on undercards. It takes a lot of connections to get recognition in MMA and having good management is key. Most times, managers are simply the owners of the gyms that fighters work at, but there are a few that are strictly on the business end of MMA.

Answer 3

You have to have a manager or agent when you're a professional anything because they book you and get all the contracts done while the athlete need only worry about the event.

Answer 4

Yes they do.