Despite not having competed in the UFC for over seven years now, Justin McCully is calling for fighters from the UFC and beyond to come together, but not to form a fighter’s union.
McCully recently spoke with MMA Junkie Radio to discuss his ideas for the fighter’s to come together, both past, present and future fighters.
“The money is there now, though…We’re talking about a $4 billion acquisition that shows the profit is there. The company isn’t in the hands of the people who were building it to be a major company globally for the next 50 or 60 years. They had to cut costs and keep their costs down to get it to where it was. That’s just the way it is. We had to sacrifice as fighters and athletes, just like any of the athletes did as frontiersmen in any of the other sports. But now these young guys get the benefits of what we did for them. Good for them, kudos to them. I’d say stay away from the agents, stay away from the guys. But we do need to come together and know our value and know where the league minimums need to be for the fighters. What’s actually decent, for a man to say, ‘Hey I put my life on the line to provide for my family. Not only did I put my life on the line, but I was given an opportunity from a company that didn’t have to give it to me.’ I earned it and earned my shot, sure. But they still don’t have to do business with me. It doesn’t matter if you’re the best fighter in the world, they don’t have to hire you. Them hiring you is a gift in itself. You look at this card right here” said McCully.
McCully may be best known for an appearance in Bellator MMA, where his face was hidden via a mask by Stephan Bonnar before the big reveal that he was training Bonnar to fight Tito Ortiz, Bonnar would later go onto lose the bout by decision.
McCully also went into greater detail about why he just wants the fighters to come together, but not form a fighter’s union.
“I disagree entirely with (a fighter union),” McCully said. “The union is not what we need. We don’t need a union. We need a nonprofit organization set up by the fighters to support the fighters. We need to come together and look out for our future and donate for ourselves. We don’t need a union and we don’t need an outside body or anybody else coming in and telling us how much we have to spend on union dues.”
The 40-year old McCully last fought in 2011, and hasn't competed in the UFC since 2009.
