“This Sport is Unserious” – Fans Troll Renato Moicano for Refusing $200,000 from UFC Lawsuit Settlement

The settlement of UFC's class action lawsuit has seen one major lightweight fighter in Renato Moicano reject the payout.

“This Sport is Unserious” – Fans Troll Renato Moicano for Refusing $200,000 from UFC Lawsuit Settlement

Renato Moicano and Dana White (via Imagn)

🔍 Explore this post with:

ChatGPTPerplexityGrok AIGoogle AI

Renato Moicano’s signature tagline is “Moicano wants money,” and rightfully so. The Brazilian lightweight veteran has always weighed in on fighting for the sweet green bucks instead of going up against challengers too big for his arsenal. But in a surprising twist, his well-known mantra took a hit recently, and not because of a fight inside the Octagon. 

Moicano revealed on his Show Me The Money podcast that he rejected a six-figure payout from the class-action lawsuit Le vs. Zuffa, a massive antitrust case filed by former UFC fighter Cung Le. The case included around 1,200 current and former fighters as plaintiffs, all alleging that the UFC operated as a monopoly, suppressing fighter pay.

After years of legal back-and-forth, a $375 million settlement was announced this year, with payouts based on the number of fights and active years between 2010 and 2017. For Moicano, the offer was reportedly $200,000, but he turned it down.

You wanna know how much I love UFC? I did not [take] the money that they sent to the fighters. I just had to put my name over that, but I didn’t. I did not sign it. Only 3% of the fighters refused the money.

Renato Moicano via Show Me The Money podcast

Moicano’s decision came as a surprise to many, especially considering his outspoken views on compensation. However, he used the opportunity to defend the UFC and challenge what he sees as flawed comparisons to other major sports leagues.

Leagues like the NFL, NBA, and MLB share nearly half of their revenue with athletes. In contrast, UFC fighters reportedly receive just 18 percent of the promotion’s earnings. But Moicano doesn’t see that as unfair.

They said UFC did not pay the fighters fair enough. But this is like you get a girl today and you’re f****ng her, and like two years later, she say ‘The guy ra**d me.’ That’s what it is. I agreed [to the contract]. I remember my first fight in the UFC was [$8,000 to show, $8,000 to win]. And then what they say is that $8k/$8k was wrong, because they take advantage of you. It’s the same thing: you have a girl and then somebody talk to the girl, ‘That guy ab**ed you!

Renato Moicano via Show Me The Money podcast

Moicano wrapped up his argument by emphasizing responsibility and respect for the UFC’s business model. The reasoning of the Brazilian lightweight was certainly a unique take from what the fans have witnessed.

If you like the logic of how USA was created, like free market, you have to do your part of the deal. You cannot take advantage of people. The problem of people now is the mindset of ‘UFC is f***ing rich, they can do that.’ It’s not like that. You have to honor your part.

Renato Moicano via Show Me The Money podcast

While Moicano might always “want money,” this moment shows he’s willing to walk away from it when it comes to standing by his principles and the promotion that helped shape his career. However, not everyone was convinced by the Brazilian’s reasoning. Fight fans took to social media to express their disdain for Moicano for his logic and refusing the money that he rightfully deserved.

Fight fans and experts lambast Renato Moicano for taking a weird moral high ground

There have been several instances of fighters not being able to meet their daily needs while fighting and putting their lives on the line inside the Octagon. For the unversed, reigning 125-pound kingpin Alexandre Pantoja had to work as an Uber Eats driver during his early run in the promotion to make ends meet.

Renato Moicano and Beneil Dariush UFC 317
Renato Moicano and Beneil Dariush UFC 317 (via Imagn)

Even the current bantamweight champion, Merab Dvalishvili, worked on a construction site when he was new to the MMA juggernaut. Naturally, Moicano’s decision overlooked the fighters’ welfare who had to fight hard for their well-deserved settlement.

Prominent MMA journalist Luke Thomas wrote on X, “This is emblematic and why I talk a lot less about fighter pay these days. Some literally do not want money they are rightfully owed. Irrational beyond words.” Moreover, many fight fans were disappointed with the Brazilian’s point of view.

It is safe to say that UFC has a monopoly over the sport of MMA, and it is not going to change anytime soon. To understand the brand’s power, one must realise that they have absorbed every major company, ranging from PRIDE FC to Strikeforce, in their journey. Moreover, other modern competitors like PFL have a long way to go before they can be seen as legitimate contenders for the top spot.

Moicano’s decision reflects a mindset that the UFC is doing absolutely fine in terms of their fighter pay policy and acts as a stamp to practices that are less than ideal. One may have to ponder the brains behind this decision.

Also read: