UFC bantamweight Michael McDonald says he is saving money from a second job in order to help pay for training to continue his UFC career.
“I’m trying to make enough money right now to pay my bills and still have a little savings for a camp,” McDonald told ESPN. “And it’s tough because I don’t know if camp will be perfect and I don’t know if I’ll pay for one, only to have my opponent back out. It’s always iffy.”
McDonald headlined a UFC Fight Night event in his last outing when he fought John Lineker in July. McDonald is also a former title challenger. Despite being one of the premier fighters in the UFC bantamweight division, McDonald is having issues paying the necessary costs of being a UFC fighter.
“My goal is to fight, but I also have to keep my possessions,” McDonald said. “I’ve borrowed money before and racked up $15,000 in debt in order to train like a professional athlete. And I’ve went through injuries and lost everything, twice. I’ve lost my home and moved back in with my parents.
“The worst part is you never really know if you have enough. You just get this chunk of money and you’re saying, ‘I hope this [is] enough.’ Let’s say I have $20,000 in the bank. I think I’m good, start working my butt off, get injured and need surgery. By the time I get healthy, now I’ve got $5,000. What happens if I get injured again? I’ve had three hand surgeries and taken two years off before. You go into a lot of debt doing that.”
McDonald says he made $53,000 for his last fight. However, after paying taxes and expenses related to the fight, McDonald says he pocketed about one-third of the money he earned.
Despite having financial issues when it comes to fighting, McDonald says he plans to fight again and wants to become a UFC champion.
“I will continue to fight and I will become a UFC champion,” McDonald said. “This is my dream. I want to live my dream. I’m pretty sure I could be a doctor and make better money. I have the intelligence. Being a fighter has always been my dream. If this is what it takes, I’ll do it.”
