Jeremy Stephens is back in the Octagon at UFC 235, facing Zabit Magomedsharipov in a pivotal featherweight division match up.
The UFC star is teammates with former UFC fighter Josh Neer, who still hasn’t gotten paid after competing at the World Bare Knuckle Boxing Federation 1 event, a situation that Stephens calls bullshit.
“Yeah, he fought a bare knuckle (fight) and they didn’t pay him. Those guys (the promoters) should be held accountable and pay the fighters, that’s bullshit. These guys take time out of their lives…their families lives and you take money and their food when they went out there and performed. You should be held accountable for your word and contract and pay up,” says Stephens in an exclusive interview with Fightful’s James Lynch.
As of this writing, none of the fighters who competed on that card have been paid in full.
Stephens has competed at both lightweight and featherweight in his professional MMA career, but will only be willing to move back up to lightweight if the money and opponents are right.
“You know there’s big fights at (1)55 and I don’t mind fighting at both, if it’s gonna be a big fight. We’re negotiating some good interests and what the fans want, but for right now…my focus in March 2, showing up with clear intentions on whopping a Russuian’s ass,” says Stephens.
UFC 235 takes place on Saturday, March 2 from the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada with Jon Jones and Anthony Smith headlining. Fightful is providing live coverage of the event, with a post-show podcast to follow.
