Shane Burgos decides to leave UFC and signs with PFL in order to become a ‘multimillionaire’

A popular featherweight competitor in the UFC recently decided to leave the Octagon after becoming a free agent. A month after his most recent octagon performance, the featherweight free agent revealed in an interview on Monday that he is leaving the UFC and joining the PFL roster. Burgos (15-3) defeated Charles Jourdain by majority decision at UFC Long Island in the last contest of his UFC contract.

When the UFC is more interested in signing a fighter than the fighter is in joining the UFC, those days are long gone, but Shane Burgos recently appeared to be in that situation. The fan-favorite featherweight action fighter recently finished an 11-fight run with the biggest MMA organization in the world.

Burgos anticipates making his professional debut in a non-tournament match in November or December. He then plans to compete in the league's regular season in 2023 in an effort to capture the PFL title and a $1 million reward. Initially, he intends to compete at featherweight in 2023 before switching to lightweight the following year. He added that he will be able to commentate for the PFL in the future.

Burgos acknowledged that leaving the largest MMA company in the world wasn't an easy decision, but after discussing with his family the hefty rise the PFL was providing, he stated it was a "no-brainer" financially.

He told Ariel Helwani in an interview that “When it’s all said and done after the first season obviously, I plan on winning,I’ll be a multi-millionaire”

“It was not an easy decision. It was an offer I couldn’t turn it up. I’ve got two daughters, I’ve got to go back home, I’ve got to look at them in the face when it’s all said and done in this sport. With this deal I feel like that will secure that. Not taking anything away from my UFC career’’

Burgos is still in his prime and puts on exciting bouts every time he steps into the cage, so why is the UFC holding out on him? Although he has a record of 2-2 in his previous four fights, letting him go after developing him into a featherweight who is ranked among the Top 15 devalues the division and invites others to follow in his footsteps.

Nonetheless not many will be surprised by Burgos’s decision to quit UFC amid noise from many fighters over the pay structure which the UFC offers them. Fighting under Dana White's promotional umbrella would continue to pay what it pays as long as he is in charge, he insisted in a recent interview with GQ.

Dana silenced the people who have been raising concerns on the fighter pay structure. He stated “It's never gonna happen while I'm here, believe me. These guys get paid what they're supposed to get paid," White replied when asked why the issue of fighter pay keeps being brought up. "They eat what they kill. They get a percentage of the pay-per-view buys and the money is spread out amongst all the fighters.”

Recently, Luke Rockhold gave out his thoughts on the UFC bonus structure and it is safe to say that he was not a fan of the current amounts which are being handed to the fighters as bonuses. At the moment, the UFC gives away two $50k bonuses for POTN and two $50k bonuses for FOTN.

The business occasionally decides to award additional bonuses. Due to UFC events consistently selling out the gate and keeping the same profit margins, this has been happening more recently. However, considering that bonuses have historically lost value, Luke Rockhold thinks the UFC's payout structure is ludicrous.

While speaking to MMA fighting Rockhold stated “ “F*****g $50,000 bonuses going on for two decades. Like, what the f**l?” “The valuation of the company’s going up f*****g billions of dollars and we’re still stuck on $50,000 bonus checks? What the f**k is this? People need to wake up.”

Fighters are starting to get more vocal about this issue and many are also taking actions in order to get the best for their lives. This move from Shane Burgos could be a start for many upcoming exits. What do you guys think about the UFC pay structure? Should the UFC revise their structure and give financial security to the fighters? Let us know in the comments.