Is UFC waiting out Carano’s old contract to strike new deal?
Dana White: “Let’s see if we come to deal or not and then we’ll talk about Gina. She’s under contract but that doesn’t mean anything.”
Last week UFC President Dana White meet with former Strikeforce star Gina Carano to discuss her fighting future. White yesterday said the meeting went well, but that nothing officially had been agreed to you. Something White also mentioned was that Carano’s current contract, which the UFC owns will end his June:
She wants to fight, he said. Let’s see if we come to deal or not and then we’ll talk about Gina. She’s under contract but that doesn’t mean anything.
Nevertheless, Carano’s previous contract with the now-defunct Strikeforce, which UFC parent Zuffa assumed following the promotion’s closing, runs out in two months.
Her contract with Strikeforce actually expires in June, White said.
If you wanted to speculate, which we do, one might consider it possible the UFC is waiting out the expiration of this contract to negotiate a new one with Carano.
In her last pro bout, Carano made $125,000 in a losing effort to Cris Cyborg. She would likely be paid the same amount in a return fight to the UFC. Therein lies the dilemma. This would make her on paper paid higher than the UFC women’s champion Ronda Rousey, who made $110,000 ($55,000 to show, $55,000 to win) in her last bout.
This of course could cause all sorts of problems for the UFC in regards to fan perception and also likely not making Rousey happy. Although Rousey is reported to receive a percentage on PPV sales and could be making millions per fight, Carano would probably ask for the same.
