Triller Co-founder Compares UFC Contracts to “Indentured Servitude”
Ryan Kavanagh and Oscar De La Hoya (right)(image via Instagram)
By FCF Staff
Following Georges St-Pierre’s claims that the UFC would not allow him to box Oscar De La Hoya, Triller co-founder, Ryan Kavanaugh, is blasting the MMA promotion.
Recently St-Pierre reported that Triller approached him about fighting the boxing legend, but that UFC President Dana White, wouldn’t okay it. Although the 40-year-old St-Pierre is retired from MMA, he remains under contract with the UFC.
While speaking to MMA Fighting regarding the proposed, St-Pierre – De La Hoya fight, Kavanaugh had this to say about the UFC.
“Indentured servitude is not allowed in the United States,” Kavanaugh stated. “Yet Georges St-Pierre, who is officially retired from the UFC and has made it very clear he will never fight in MMA again, isn’t allowed to get into a boxing ring and make probably [one] of the highest paydays that he would get to fight someone he considers to be on his bucket list because Dana White says he can’t. That’s just wrong.”
During the interview, Kavanaugh also had this to say about Triller’s business model, versus the UFC’s.
“A lot of people accuse us of overpaying,” Kavanaugh said. “The way I look at it is, if we’re making money and they’re making money, then we’re not overpaying them. It’s that simple. If we can make a profit enough to make sense for the business and grow, yet pay them and make it fair for them, that’s the way businesses should be run. It bites you in the ass otherwise.
“I’m surprised that the UFC hasn’t had more of an issue to date. I know they’ve talked about attempts at unionization but beyond that they haven’t actually had challenges to their contract being unconstitutional.”
Triller’s latest boxing event is set to take place tonight, and will be headlined by a boxing match between 44-year-old Vitor Belfort and 58-year-old Evander Holyfield.
