Rory MacDonald fighting for more than a title shot at UFC Fight Night Ottawa

There is more to UFC Fight Night Ottawa this Saturday than fighting on home soil or collecting another paycheck for No. 1 welterweight contender Rory "Red King" MacDonald.

The winner of his main event bout with No. 2 Stephen "Wonderboy" Thompson will likely earn a shot at the welterweight title, which current champion Robbie Lawler is defending against Tyron Woodley on July 30 at UFC 201. But for MacDonald, it represents even more than a second chance at UFC gold. The 26-year-old B.C. native is also fighting for a new and more lucrative contract, which may or may not be with the UFC.

The heir to George St-Pierre's thrown revealed to Ariel Helwani back in March that he and the UFC brass were at a standstill regarding contract negotiations and that he’d be “very willing” to test free agency.

“I want to make the most money I can. I want to get paid for what I bring to the table,” MacDonald said. “I’d rather not go through it (free agency). I mean, I’d rather just agree on something with the UFC and move forward. But we’ll see what happens. I’m very willing to do it though, if that means making more money."

MacDonald has done a lot for himself and the organization, including a bloody bout with Lawler in which he nearly won the 170 pound title but went home with a broken nose instead. It was one of the greatest fights in UFC history where both fighters took an unbelievable amount of punishment.

“A performance like that and everything I did leading up to it in my career with the UFC, I feel like I should be left a little bit more financially stable,” MacDonald told Helwani.

He earned a disclosed salary of $59,000 for that grueling fight. Pay-per-view income and discretionary bonuses aren’t made public so we don’t know exactly how much more he earned from UFC 189, but a base of $59,000 for nearly 25 minutes of head trauma is no longer sufficient enough for the soon-to-be father.

It’s a tough predicament for MacDonald to be in. Defeat the next best fighter in the division and you gain all the leverage in the world for a big raise along with another title shot. Lose the fight and your bargaining chips disappear. As risky of a play as this may be, he told MMA Junkie he wasn't too concerned because he knows his worth.

“I believe in myself so I think it’s going to work out. Martial arts was always a fun thing. It was a journey. I never focused on money. It was more getting to my goals, accomplishing my goals, enjoying the experiences of being a martial artist, getting better as a martial artist, growing and enjoying the journey but now it's come to a point where I've done a lot of things. I feel like my value is up there...I'd just like to be compensated and live a comfortable life for my family and provide for them."

When asked how he sees the fight and the contract situation play out, MacDonald seemed positive:

"The perfect scenario is I have the best performance of my life against Stephen, re-sign with the UFC with the numbers I want and fight for the title and win. And then I’m sitting pretty.”

But like MacDonald said, that’s the perfect scenario. Thompson, a long-time friend, is a very capable opponent who has won his last six fights, including a devastating first round finish of the former welterweight champion Johny Hendricks.

If MacDonald’s perfect scenario doesn’t come to fruition, he may have to join the likes of Ben Henderson, Matt Mitrione and Josh Koscheck as former UFC fighters who’ve played out their contracts and jumped ship to promotional competitors.

Scott Coker, president of Bellator, has already had his eye on the UFC’s top ranked welterweight contender, stating: “He’s a guy that we’d be interested in talking to, if the time is right."

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