One million dollars could be a great incentive for Cris Cyborg to make a change.
UFC Hall of Famer and PFL commentator Randy Couture said the former featherweight champ has “a ton of leverage” after closing out her contract on a win, and the tournament-based promotion’s payouts provide a strong incentive to move.
“I don’t know what her contract looks like, what she’s used to getting paid,” Couture told MMA Junkie Radio. “I know if she’s like most of these fighters, it’s going to be years before they see themselves in that top 2 or 3 percent in this sport that make six figures on the regular.
“Where she’s at and the journey she’s been on, if she’s got a crack at getting fights on a regular basis and a crack at a million dollars, why not?”
PFL tournament winners bank a guaranteed seven-figure payday in addition to regular season earnings. Couture signed on with the upstart promotion as a broadcaster in 2018 and has been a regular fixture on fight calls.
Couture’s comments were made Thursday, before Friday’s news that the UFC does not plan on pursuing a new deal with Cyborg broke.
Eric Nicksick, MMA coach and gym manager of Xtreme Couture in Las Vegas, believes Cyborg should sign with the sport’s consensus No. 2 promotion.
Nicksick opined that Cyborg has “hurt feelings” after many disagreements with UFC president Dana White and doesn’t want to return to the octagon. But he added PFL’s competitive options are limited with Kayla Harrison the toughest among a relatively thin field of lightweights.
“I think Bellator’s her best option by far, especially because they can keep her busy,” Nicksick said. “She was only fighting once a year. At that rate, she can stay busy, get some sponsorships, make some of that money that maybe you’re missing out on in the UFC, and get fights.
“I think that’s important for her at her age. PFL, I don’t think there’s enough depth yet. Kayla’s the only one.”
Couture famously tried to test the free agent market in 2007 and went to court with the UFC before returning more than one year later to fight Brock Lesnar. He said he spent $500,000 fighting the industry-leader.
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