Former UFC middleweight Oluwale Bamgbose has made his stance on his former employer known to Cageside Press since receiving his walking papers last year.
Mixed martial arts is a business, sometimes in business, you have to make tough decisions. I’ve never had to fire or inform someone that their services will no longer be needed, but I can imagine that’s the worst part of any job.
Most fighters that get released from their contracts are in no hurry to heap words of praise at their former employers. Some fighters use their release as motivation and eventually end up back on the big show, some fighters fade into obscurity, and some fighters just stay downright pissed off.
Cageside Press caught up with recently released Oluwale Bamgbose (who fits into that third category) to talk about his release, what’s next, and why MMA fighters are so criminally underpaid.
The ‘Holy War Angel’ had a rough go in the UFC, going 1-4 in the premier MMA promotion; ultimately leading to his release late last year. “They [UFC] don’t give a f**k about you,” Bamgbose said regarding the UFC churning and burning their fighters.
“I shouldn’t have fought my last fight, I wasn’t 100-percent, I wasn’t even 70-percent,” Bamgbose said. “But I was afraid that if I pulled out they would let me go, I honestly felt like that.”
Agree or disagree, that’s the way Bamgbose felt. Job security was not the only issue the Nigerian had with the organization. The payscale was a big issue as well.
“Its bulls**t, they [UFC] make all the f***ing money and us fighters don’t get paid s**t. Some guys make $16k, s**t some guys don’t even make $8,000 to fight. That’s f***ed up.”
Oluwale Bamgbose is not alone when it comes to his feelings about the business. Many other fighters feel the same way, they just haven’t been as vocal as Bamgbose.
So now that the ‘Holy War Angel’ is no longer cashing Zuffa checks, the 30-year-old is ready to start the next chapter of his life, “Honestly, I just want to take some time and work on me,” said Bamgbose. “I don’t need to fight, I choose to. I’m educated I have college degrees, I fight because it’s the purest thing I can do to challenge myself and to have someone treat you the way they did me? F**k that.”
It doesn’t sound like Oluwale Bamgbose plans on ever competing for the UFC again, but they’re not the only game in town. Bellator is always a fitting destination for those who are disgruntled with the world’s biggest MMA organization.
“No, I haven’t [talked to Bellator] yet,” Bambose said. “But I would be open to talking with him [Coker], but like I said, right now I’m taking some time and working on me, but I’d be open to that for sure.”
Bellator could be a perfect home for the ‘Holy War Angel’, but no one knows what the future holds. If I was a betting man I would say we haven’t seen the last of this Nigerian-born New York fighter.
