UFC veteran Eric Spicely declined Energy Slap alternative after balking at $2K/$2K provide
Ever for the reason that information broke late final 12 months that UFC president Dana White would promote slap combating, it’s been anticipated that UFC fighters – previous or current – ultimately might seem in hopes of interesting to the established MMA fanbase.
Now the primary one is on file.
Monday, veteran mild heavyweight Eric Spicely revealed on Twitter (h/t Luke Thomas) that he was supplied to partake within the UFC-backed Energy Slap League. He mentioned he was “shocked” to seek out out the pay was $2,000 to indicate and $2,000 to win for the primary battle.
Spicely didn’t clarify additional on Twitter, however Thomas subsequently reported that Spicely confirmed him “some evidence for his claims.”
In follow-up textual content messages with MMA Junkie’s Nolan King, Spicely, who appeared on “The Final Fighter 23” in 2016, mentioned he was approached by “TUF” producers – not UFC or Energy Slap matchmakers – about competing in Energy Slap. Producers who labored on “TUF” are also behind the eight-episode “Energy Slap: Street to the Title” actuality sequence that premiered final Wednesday on TBS.
Spicely advised MMA Junkie that he hopped on a name with producers he’d labored with, heard the pay and mentioned he wasn’t .
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Salaries for Energy Slap opponents are disclosed to the Nevada Athletic Fee, which voted last November to regulate slap fighting forward of Energy Slap’s debut. These salaries, just like the UFC’s, will not be public info.
Spicely, 36, had two separate stints within the UFC. After filming “TUF 23,” he went 2-4 with the promotion 2016 to 2018. He then picked up back-to-back wins in CES earlier than he returned to the UFC in June 2019 and misplaced a unanimous choice to Deron Winn.
Spicely (12-8) was scheduled to battle Aug. 1, 2020 at UFC Combat Evening 173 however withdrew on weigh-in day. He later mentioned he was on “anitdepressants resulting from head trauma,” which induced his weight minimize to go “horribly fallacious.”
Given Spicely’s admission then, most observers doubtless would think about him turning down Energy Slap a sensible transfer. Health experts and a leading neuroscientist have criticized White and the UFC for making an attempt to legitimize slap combating, citing its mindless hazard since opponents will not be allowed to intelligently defend themselves as they’re in conventional fight sports activities.
Spicely hasn’t competed in MMA since September 2021 at OKTAGON 28, the place he was knocked out within the first spherical. The loss was his fourth in a row.