Compensation for fighters in the UFC and MMA has sparked intense discussions for quite some time. As the top-tier martial arts organization allocates a mere 16–18% of its profits and provides only $10k for a show and another $10k for a win, it’s no surprise that criticism occasionally arises. Some athletes find a way to accept it, while others choose to leave the arena altogether in pursuit of more profitable opportunities. Now, a former training partner of Islam Makhachev and Arman Tsarukyan, who has since become a doctor, has shared his thoughts on the reality of making money in martial arts. 

Russian fighter Makhochi Sagitov has been a pro-MMA competitor since 2015, competing mainly in the Chechen promotion ACA and also in TKFC. The ‘Doctor’ last stepped into the cage in 2021 and even tried his hand at boxing. After putting his MMA career on hold, Sagitov even landed Shara Magomedov as a client for his rhinoplasty surgery. With years of experience, he certainly has some insider knowledge, especially when it comes to how fighter compensation works in the sport.

In an interview with Вестник ММА, while compared his doctor’s salary to his MMA earnings. “Well, I can’t compare it because there are different levels, for surgeons too. Yes, there’s a beginner fighter, there’s this one. Once I got into rhinoplasty, everything started working out much better for me than in fights. I must not work for at least a month, minimum. And if you translate that into monetary terms, then I lose more than I get for the fight.” 

Sagitov painted a picture of fighters going through the initial struggles before making it big in the market. However, that’s not all! He also touched on the fact that he wouldn’t leave his medical job even for a million dollars in MMA, explaining how that amount becomes half by the time it reaches a fighter’s hands. 

‘Doctor’ added, “For example, in PFL, to get a million dollars, there are stages. How much is everything? Three or four fights. You have three or four fights that take place over the course of a year. You train, distance yourself from everything, your family, no personal life, only training. In the end, a million dollars. How much does an athlete actually get? Well, on average, half, yes! If you work hard for an entire year, then you might actually get it. So it’s unlikely.”  

Well, it’s exciting to imagine being in the shoes of fighters like Conor McGregor, Ilia Topuria, and Alex Pereira, who have made it big financially. The road to achieving that status is a tough one. Sagitov shows that there’s another route to success as well. However, there’s also a story about him that might surprise a lot of people was his sparring session with Islam Makhachev.  

Makhochi Sagitov commends Islam Makhachev for unreal recovery in sparring

Sagitov has been around some top-class Russian fighters during his active MMA career. He had the privilege of sharing the mat with current No. 1 lightweight contender Arman Tsarukyan, as well as former lightweight champion Islam Makhachev. So, he definitely has plenty of amazing stories about them. Now, as the former 155 lbs kingpin prepares to chase double-champ glory against Jack Della Maddalena — possibly at MSG this November. Before that, Sagitov has shared a story from their sparring days.   

He revealed in his Вестник ММА interview that he managed to drop Islam Makhachev. “I knock him down. I’m thinking, ‘Wow, I just knocked down Islam Makhachev,’ and I couldn’t believe it myself.” He added, “I wanted to cover him, but I didn’t even understand what happened. Then, in half a second, maybe even less,  he turns me over like a kitten, and I end up on the bottom. He finishes me from the top.”

That sparring session instantly brings to mind the UFC 302 main event, when Makhachev flipped Dustin Poirier and locked in a D’Arce choke in the fifth round to defend his lightweight title in a high-stakes encounter. It seems the Dagestani juggernaut has been drilling that move for a very long time.

With that said, what do you make of Makhochi Sagitov and his connection with Islam Makhachev? And what are your thoughts on his comparison of medical salary and MMA fighter pay?