Full Breakdown
Ronda Rousey's UFC Pay Critique Sparks OnlyFans Debate
5/8/2026, 11:52:36 PM
Press Conference Controversy
At a May 16 press conference before her fight with Gina Carano, former UFC champion Ronda Rousey criticized the UFC’s compensation model, saying it “used to be the best place…to make a living and be paid fairly” but is now “one of the worst places to go.” She linked low pay to fighters using OnlyFans, citing Valentina Shevchenko as an example.
Background & Context
The UFC has been described by fighters as the premier venue for earning a living in combat sports. Recent statements suggest many athletes find the pay insufficient. Several top competitors, including UFC flyweight champion Valentina Shevchenko, have opened OnlyFans accounts to generate supplemental income, intensifying debate over fighter compensation.
Key Figures
- Ronda Rousey – 2008 Olympic judo bronze medalist, former UFC women’s bantamweight champion, fighting Gina Carano on May 16 (Netflix).
- Taylor Starling – BKFC fighter, OnlyFans creator, fought Sydney Smith on May 6, 2026.
- Valentina Shevchenko – UFC flyweight champion with an OnlyFans page.
- Dana White – UFC president, mentioned by Rousey.
Official Statements & Responses
Rousey said the UFC is no longer a viable source of income, calling it “one of the worst places to go” and presenting OnlyFans as an alternative for top athletes. Starling replied that many fighters “are trying to provide for their families” and that supplemental platforms “are a blessing” enabling training, adding that opinions from those who do not pay her bills “are nothing to me.”
Criticism & Opposition
Starling challenged Rousey’s implication that using OnlyFans is a negative judgment, emphasizing that the platform has allowed her to transition from three jobs to full-time training and to support her children. She argued that financial independence, not external criticism, should determine a fighter’s livelihood choices.
Verbatim Quotes
- “It used to be that the UFC was the best place that you could come in combat sports to make a living and be paid fairly. Now, it's one of the worst places to go,” — Ronda Rousey, press conference
- “It’s why so many of their top athletes are going to find pay elsewhere. It’s why their champions, like Valentina [Shevchenko], are selling pictures of their t***ies on OnlyFans.” — Ronda Rousey, press conference
- “As a whole, there’s plenty of women I don’t like, but at the end of the day, we’re all trying to do the same thing: Provide for our families,” — Taylor Starling, MMA Fighting interview
- “Now do I wish that in the fighting industry that we made more money so we didn’t have to do things like that? Of course. But it is a blessing and I can’t take your opinion to the bank. If you are not paying my bills and you’re not the man laying by me in my bed or the woman laying next to me in my bed, then your opinion is nothing to me.” — Taylor Starling, MMA Fighting interview
What’s Next
Rousey’s bout with Carano on May 16 will be her first UFC appearance in a decade. The debate over UFC compensation and the role of platforms like OnlyFans is expected to continue in media commentary and may prompt further statements from the promotion.
