The dark side of the UFC | Four Corners Documentary

Some of the biggest names in Australian mixed martial arts say they were pushed to their physical and financial limits while the UFC made over a billion dollars in revenue. In this week’s Four Corners, reporter Mahmood Fazal speaks to former fighters who describe a culture of exploitation, secrecy, and lasting damage. Professional fighters share what it’s like to be locked into restrictive contracts, take punishing fights, and end up broke or broken after years in the cage. The UFC has grown into a $12.1 billion business, a dominant force in global sport, and even in American politics. It’s received public money and public support here in Australia. But evidence suggests the company has kept wages low, limited competition, and left fighters with few options. Fighters are challenging the UFC in US courts, with one class action recently settled for $375 million. As Australia embraces the UFC, Heavy Hitters reveals the cost for the fighters who risk so much for the spectacle. CHAPTERS 00:00 – The Ultimate Fighting Championship 02:15 – Heavy Hitters 02:43 – Jack Della Maddalena 05:53 – Belal Muhammad 07:10 – UFC fans 08:02 – Sean Strickland 09:31 – Nina Marie Daniele 10:20 – Free speech in the UFC 15:55 – Trump and the UFC 17:48 – Dana White 19:30 – The reality show 20:45 – Multi-billion-dollar business 22:45 – The lawsuit 25:50 – Sports injuries 28:12 – Bec Rawlings 34:00 – Tyson Pedro 35:10 – Fight camp 37:0 0 – The benefits of MMA gyms 40:19 – Government funding Note: In most cases, our captions are auto-generated. #ABCNewsIndepth #ABCNewsAustralia