Middleweight competitor Gegard Mousasi has been getting more vocal about his pay and lack of title opportunities in the UFC as of late.
Mousasi, now a free agent, wants the UFC to pony up in order to get him back.
UFC President Dana White says that Mousasi isn’t selling out any arenas, which is why bigger opportunities and bigger paydays may be passing him by.
“Dan Henderson has been in the game forever. Mark Hunt has an entire country behind him. When we do fights in Australia, he sells out arenas. Gegard Mousasi isn’t selling out arenas,” White said at the UFC 210 post-fight press conference. “That’s why you see guys like Bisping, different fighters from Brazil, Conor McGregor. When you have guys who have countries behind them, it’s a game-changer for them. Not everybody has that luxury.”
Mousasi has now won five straight fights in the UFC, including a win over former UFC Middleweight Champion Chris Weidman at UFC 210.
Despite the fighters issue with his payouts, the UFC President is still a fan of what Mousasi brings to the Octagon.
“Listen, I’m a Gegard fan. I’m the one who who brought Gegard in here. I like the guy very much,” says White.
The fighter has been with the UFC for over three years now and he has headlined a total of five UFC events, last headlining UFC Fight Night 99 in November 2016.
