Skip to content

Sports agent got idea for fighters' union after reading UFC 196 agreement

Jason Silva / USA TODAY

Jeff Borris' quest to form a fighters' union had an unlikely catalyst.

Borris, a career baseball agent who's represented Barry Bonds, among others, recently co-launched the Professional Fighters Association (PFA) in an attempt to unionize the UFC roster. In an interview on Ariel Helwani's The MMA Hour, Borris' efforts stemmed from a surprisingly high-profile fight agreement.

"At that time (in January), Lloyd Pierson (Nate Diaz's agent) had just done the first bout agreement with McGregor-Diaz, and he came up to me and he said, 'would you take a look at the bout agreement and the promotional agreement and have another set of eyes look at it?' I said 'OK,' and I read it and I couldn't believe what I was reading. I said 'this isn't valid, this isn't enforceable, this won't fly, this has to be changed.'"

The fight Borris speaks of is the first clash between Nate Diaz and Conor McGregor at UFC 196 in March. The event grossed a total gate of $8.1 million, while McGregor earned the UFC's first million-dollar fight purse. Diaz was paid $500,000. Their salaries do not include pay-per-view and certain sponsorship bonuses.

Despite the seemingly high fighters' payout, the agreement still prompted Borris to dig deeper and subsequently arranged a meeting with Dana White and Lorenzo Fertitta, where the brass told him the roster had never attempted to unionize because they're independent contractors, not employees. Borris doesn't see it that way, given the UFC determines everything from where its roster fights, to what it wears.

Borris added the recent sale of the promotion has put it on par with other major sports leagues in terms of recognition and its fighters need representation as a result. While the agent did not begrudge the UFC it's profitability, he said fighters' rights are "being trampled upon."

While Borris says he's gotten the blessing of every single fighter he's reached out to, he attributes their overall lack of initiative to fear of retaliation from the powers that be.

"What's funny is that, inside the octagon, they're courageous, they show no fear. But outside the octagon, in the business arena, they're scared."

A number of issues were revealed to be on the PFA's docket, several of which have been longstanding topics of debate in the fight world, namely pensions, medical insurance, grievance procedures and a collectively bargained drug policy. As for revenue share, Borris said the pendulum needs to shift toward the fighters, but didn't put a percentage on it. Other major rosters like the NBA's get nearly half of the league's revenue.

Joining Borris in his efforts are Lucas Middlebrook, Nick Diaz's lawyer, and sports economist Andrew Zimbalist. The group has also garnered the support of all four major sports' labor unions. The endorsements were included in the PFA's opening press release.

Borris said he hasn't heard from the UFC since last Thursday's PFA press release.

Daily Newsletter

Get the latest trending sports news daily in your inbox