BKFC fighter Taylor Starling has weighed in on Ronda Rousey’s recent criticism of fighter pay and her controversial comments about athletes using OnlyFans to make extra income.
Rousey, who is preparing for her comeback fight against Gina Carano on May 16, recently blasted the UFC over how fighters are compensated. During one of her most talked-about interviews, the former UFC champion pointed to flyweight queen Valentina Shevchenko as an example of fighters seeking other sources of income.
“It used to be that the UFC was the best place that you could come in combat sports to make a living and be paid fairly,” Rousey said. “Now, it’s one of the worst places to go. It’s why so many of their top athletes are leaving to find pay elsewhere. It’s why their champions, like Valentina Shevchenko, are selling pictures on OnlyFans.”
The comments immediately drew backlash, including from Taylor Starling, who has openly spoken about how OnlyFans changed her financial situation and allowed her to focus fully on fighting.
“As a whole, there’s plenty of women I don’t like, but at the end of the day we’re all trying to do the same thing — provide for our families,” Starling told MMA Fighting. “Work hard and be good people. I think we can do without tearing each other apart.”
While Starling agreed that fighters deserve better pay, she questioned why using platforms like OnlyFans continues to be treated as an insult.
“Do I wish fighters made more money so we didn’t have to do things like that? Of course,” Starling said. “But it’s also been a blessing. If you’re not paying my bills, your opinion means nothing to me.”
For Taylor Starling, the extra income wasn’t about attention or controversy. It was survival.
“I was working three jobs,” she explained. “I had a terrible car that was about to break down, and I couldn’t pay my bills. OnlyFans put me in a position to train full-time, buy a new vehicle, and provide for my children.”
“At the end of the day, that’s all it’s about,” she continued. “As long as my kids are fed, happy, and taken care of, you can’t take opinions to the bank.”
Starling also pointed out what she sees as hypocrisy from critics within combat sports. According to her, some fighters publicly attack athletes for using OnlyFans while still benefiting from sponsorship money connected to the platform.
“Sometimes people just go for low blows,” Starling said. “There are fighters in bare-knuckle who talk trash about OnlyFans, but then the platform sponsors events and helps pay their checks. So do you really hate it that much?”
“There’s way more on OnlyFans than just showing your body,” she added. “People should mind their business, and I’ll mind mine.”
Despite the controversy surrounding Rousey’s comments, Taylor Starling made it clear she’s no longer bothered by outside criticism.
“You just have to be confident in who you are and what you do,” Starling said. “At the end of the day, if you’re not hurting anybody and your home is happy, then who cares?”
