Ex-UFC heavyweight Brendan Schaub explains turning down "outlandish" sum offered to fight in bare-knuckle: "I don't need to be Elon Musk"

Brendan Schaub recently explained why he turned down a bare-knuckle MMA fight offer in Jorge Masvidal's Gamebred Bareknuckle MMA promotion. The former UFC heavyweight also revealed he was offered an "outlandish" amount of money for the fight. However, it appears he valued his health too much to accept.

During an interview with MMA reporter Damon Martin, Schaub opened up about the fight offer and expressed how surprised he was when the promotion easily accepted his sky-high purse demand. Joking about having taken too many hits to the head during his MMA career, he said:

"I got an offer to fight in Gamebred. We had Jorge Masvidal and his manager, Dean, on... that's how that came about. They offered me a fight, and I'm like, 'bare-knuckle MMA, man?' and they were like, 'Yeah,' and I was like, 'Oh, man, you don't have enough money.' He goes, 'Give us a number.' I gave him an outlandish number and he was dead serious. He just looked me in the eyes, and he goes, 'Okay'."

Schaub continued:

"That's an insane amount of money. I just can't force myself to do it, man. I just can't at 41... I can't take another blow to the head... I don't need to be Elon Musk or 'Cowboy' Cerrone rich."

---

Brendan Schaub emotionally details ex-UFC star Shane Carwin's alleged CTE troubles

Brendan Schaub recently opened up about former UFC star Shane Carwin and discussed his longtime friend and training partner's troubles with CTE and head trauma. Schaub emotionally detailed how the former MMA fighter and engineer is unable to perform simple jobs due to severe cognitive decline.

During a recent episode of The Schaub Show, 'Big Brown' broke down while discussing Carwin's condition and questioned why former MMA fighters can't receive money after retirement. He said:

"Former world champ! How do you just not go, 'I get it dude.' Boom! $10-15 million [for] your troubles. Can we be human for a fu*king second? You don't have to do it publicly. From fu*king human to human... This guy put his life on the line. I've seen it, dude. I was with him every step of the way from day fu*king one. He's such a good person. That's pennies to these guys."