Should you get paid for fighting or just check the boxes of formalities leading up to the fight? The question has marred the UFC ever since Stephen Thompson declined to take a fight on short notice at UFC 291 when Michel Pereira missed the weight. While some wanted the fighter to receive the purse, UFC President Dana White remained reluctant. He faced criticism for his harsh decision, but it appears he saved the promotion from putting a dent in its financials.

“Guys don’t just get paid to not fight,” the UFC head honcho declared as he made his view understood. While a wave of sympathy followed ‘Wonderboy’, the business economics tilted towards the UFC. Further, it could lead to enormous repercussions in the future, and a similar situation to that of James Krause could arise. A UFC veteran has explained how the whole Thompson saga could have cost the UFC.

The Stephen Thompson situation could have led to fighters working in cahoots

Josh Thomson recently spoke his mind on his podcast as he asked, “What happens if you bring in someone who is making a quarter of a million dollars? We’ve already kind of seen when the gambling started coming in with the whole James Krause situation.”

Following this, the former UFC fighter suggested the high-paying fighter could manipulate the fighter with low pay to not take the fight. He could ask his opponent to not make the weight, and subsequently, he wouldn’t take the fight. Later on, he would collect his show money and split it with his opponent.

Read More: What Went Down Between Dana White and Stephen Thompson After UFC 291 Fiasco? How Much Was ‘Wonderboy’ Paid for the Cancelled Fight Against Michel Pereira?

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Therefore, ‘The Punk’ cautioned, “That’s where you’ve got to be very careful, is that you could start having fighters in cahoots.” Then what is the worst that could happen to the promotions?

Could one change led to the shutting down of the promotions?

The American fighter continued to issue a warning as he announced, “Now we can start seeing things happen behind closed doors. Fighters are talking behind closed doors, and they’re making deals with each other.”

This could lead not only to the promotions losing their leverage but also to squandering their finances. Thomson thus declared, “Then now we don’t have a fight, and that’s where you can end up costing these promotions. Put these promotions out of business and start getting into their financials.”

A payout to Thompson could have started a pattern where the fighters colluded and squeezed in money without actually fighting. However, the UFC also reaffirmed its stance on working out a solution by Saturday. The UFC lynchpin could compensate Thompson for his fight camp, putting an end to the saga.

What do you think of these comments by UFC veteran Josh Thomson? Do you believe the UFC should pay Stephen Thompson? Let us know in the comments below.

Watch this story: Jorge Masvidal Wins the Race Against Mike Tyson, Arnold Schwarzenegger, and Triple H to Become Dwayne Johnson’s Successor at UFC 291 for the BMF Title