The promotion has a lucrative broadcasting offer with ESPN as well as multi-million dollar sponsor relationships with companies like Venum, the official apparel brand of the UFC, Monster, and, most recently, Crypto.com. In 2019, as part of an ongoing anti-trust suit against the UFC, it was reported that the promo was forecasted to make $980 million in profits for 2020, with fighters receiving 20 percent of that revenue (approx. $196 million).
Strikeforce was revealed to have paid fighters 63 percent of profits, and Bellator 44.7 percent of profits.
The UFCs monetary success that has prompted some fighters to speak about what they think about to be an inequitable share of the earnings. Three-time UFC light heavyweight champ Jones is among them, and his career threatens to be stalled until till next year unless he and the UFC can work out a considerable pay raise. According to White, his relationship with Jones is in good condition.
” I dont think its about repairing the relationship with him,” White stated. “Jon and I have gone round and round for many years. Its not like– listen, weve had our great times and weve had our hard times, Jon and I. I state all of it the time: We placed on fights every Saturday night. When Jons ready to combat again, Ill have a Saturday night prepared for him.
” Jon doesnt owe me anything or any apologies or we must take a seat and kiss and make up or any of that. Were cool. Were both really opinionated, were both really hard-headed with things. I dont like dislike Jon Jones, I dont believe Jon Jones dislikes me. When hes ready, were prepared, and well get it figured out.”
When it was recommended that conversations about fighter pay have actually become increasingly more widespread lately, White laughed off that idea.
” It hasnt been lately, its been twenty years,” White stated. “And think what? It will for the next 20 years too.”
UFC President Dana White is growing weary of the constant criticism surrounding how he compensates his fighters.
In the previous few months, the most recent headings worrying fighter pay have actually primarily revolved around the negotiations for a Francis Ngannou vs. Jon Jones superfight that have come to a dead stop as the conflict between both fighters and the UFC has spilled into the general public eye. YouTube star turned professional fighter Jake Paul has also pressed for UFC fighters to be paid more.
Whether UFC professional athletes– and MMA fighters in basic– are being paid relatively has actually long been a topic of conversation in the media. But if it were up to White, there would be a lot less chatter from those he perceives to be uninformed outsiders.
” The reality is anybody whos being important outside of the fighters themselves do not know anything anyway,” White stated in an interview with reporter Manouk Akopyan. And the fighters do not ever come out and inform you. These guys can come out at any time and tell you what theyre making.
” Fighter pay has constantly gone up every year considering that we owned the organization. Certainly, theres been tons more opportunities with the outfitting policy, some of the sponsors that weve brought in that spend lots of money with the fighters too. Theres a lot of opportunity here for the fighters. And listen, theres never ever gon na be a person thats coming out and saying, Yeah, theyre paying me excessive. Theyre overpaying me. And all of these guys that are champions share in the pay-per-view profits.
” Listen, if you do not like it, go start your own MMA league and pay em whatever you want to pay em. This is mine and this is the method were doing it.”
Following the boom of MMA in the 2000s, numerous promos emerged in North America to provide an alternative to the UFC, consisting of Strikeforce, Bellator, and the World Series of Fighting (now the Professional Fighters League), with each offering their own incentives to entice fighters to sign. However, the UFC has continued to hold the lions share of the MMA market.
” The truth is any person whos being vital outside of the fighters themselves dont know anything anyhow,” White stated in an interview with reporter Manouk Akopyan.” Fighter pay has continually gone up every year because we owned the company. Undoubtedly, theres been lots more opportunities with the outfitting policy, some of the sponsors that weve brought in that spend tons of cash with the fighters too. In 2019, as part of a continuous anti-trust suit versus the UFC, it was reported that the promo was forecasted to make $980 million in income for 2020, with fighters receiving 20 percent of that profits (approx. The UFCs monetary success that has triggered some fighters to speak about what they think about to be an inequitable share of the revenues.