Don’t criticize fighter pay around “Borz.”
Former Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) Bantamweight champion and WWE star, Ronda Rousey, is set to face women’s mixed martial arts (MMA) pioneer, Gina Carano, next month (Sat., May 16, 2026) inside Intuit Dome in Los Angeles, Calif., with the event scheduled to stream on Netflix.
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Throughout the build-up to the historic showdown, Rousey has taken repeated shots at her former employer over fighter pay. From claiming UFC can’t always make the biggest fights because of shareholder interests to suggesting other promotions — like MVP — are offering fighters more sustainable paydays, “Rowdy” hasn’t held back.
In short, she’s going after Dana White & Co.
And that doesn’t sit well with current Middleweight champion, Khamzat Chimaev, who fired back at Rousey during a recent appearance on his YouTube channel … like a good independent contractor.
“There would never have been Ronda Rousey without UFC,” Chimaev said on his YouTube channel. “I hate this. [One of his team calls her ungrateful, and Chimaev agrees]. If they pay good or don’t pay good, who cares. When she was Olympic champ, what did she make then?”
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Chimaev’s point about UFC elevating Rousey into a global superstar isn’t without merit. Still, it’s worth noting the undefeated Chechen has previously voiced his own frustrations about fighter pay.
And, of course, social media was quick to pile on, pointing out Chimaev’s own alleged controversial financial backing by a Chechen warlord throughout his career.
Nevertheless, Chimaev is two weeks away from his first UFC title defense against heated rival, Sean Strickland, at UFC 328 on May 9, 2026.
