Dana White says UFC stars make ‘crazy money’

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Wild

Zi Nazi
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Dec 31, 2014
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UFC fighter pay has always been an area of vehement discussion.

Historically, the UFC has received criticism for fighter pay despite being the largest MMA promotion. 2018 marked the first (and only) time an MMA athlete was on the overall top-10 Forbes list of highest paid athletes — with the #4 spot belonging to Conor McGregor.

UFC president Dana White has been outspoken in the past when questioned about fighter pay. He recently sat down with ESPN MMA to recap 2019 for the UFC, where he addressed finance among the top stars.

ESPN’s Brett Okamoto asked, “can you give an idea of what a star in the UFC is capable of making?” To which White replied simply, “it’s crazy…


Dana White: UFC stars make ‘crazy money’
 

Wild

Zi Nazi
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Dec 31, 2014
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Gotta admit, it seems like the pay has increased significantly over the past 5 years, but fighters still deserve their share of TV and merchandise revenue, rights to their likeness, health care, and some form of retirement package.
 

KWingJitsu

ยาเม็ดสีแดงหรือสีฟ้ายา?
Nov 15, 2015
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Key phrase "UFC stars".

Newbies take home like 7-15Gs after taxes (unless they get fight bonuses) and then go back to their day jobs they took off for 3 months to prepare for a fight....
 

Virtually Identical

Posting Machine
Jul 12, 2015
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Why don't you just disclose this "crazy money" that your fighters make like every other sport? Then potential athletes would be drawn to choose to pursue your sport over other less "crazy money" sports. Thereby making for more high level fighters and more "crazy money" for everyone.

What's the big fucking secret?
 

RaginCajun

The Reigning Undisputed Monsters Tournament Champ
Oct 25, 2015
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Guess which hand is the fighters and which is the UFC's?...
 

SongExotic2

ATM 3 CHAMPION OF THE WORLD. #FREECAIN
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Key phrase "UFC stars".

Newbies take home like 7-15Gs after taxes (unless they get fight bonuses) and then go back to their day jobs they took off for 3 months to prepare for a fight....
This.

Nate quarry headlined a paperview for 8k.

I have no idea what Joe Soto got paid in his headline paperview.

There's a few fighters on the upcoming McGregor main card I bet aren't being paid shit either
 

jason73

Yuri Bezmenov was right
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Jan 15, 2015
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every damn event someone gets on the mic and begs dana for a 50g bonus. it is embarrassing for the sport. people who are making crazy money dont have to beg. the bottom 30% of UFC fighters would be better off working a regular job. the top 5-10% make good money but its still fuck all by pro sports standards. the shittiest player in the NHL makes 700k. the NFL is 480k for active roster rookies. dana is paying better than other orgs but there still isnt many fighters pulling in a half mill a year that arent holding a title
 

Sheepdog

Protecting America from excessive stool loitering
Dec 1, 2015
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Gotta admit, it seems like the pay has increased significantly over the past 5 years, but fighters still deserve their share of TV and merchandise revenue, rights to their likeness, health care, and some form of retirement package.
Gotta admit, that's a real retarded takeaway, sir.

Firstly, everyone's wages always increase due to inflation.

Secondly, the UFC's wages as a percentage of revenue haven't budged in prior years and probably even decreased since the ESPN deal.

Thirdly, a child could see Dana's pathetic dodge here. If Kneepad Brett was a real journalist - which of course, he isn't - he would realize we already have this information and pressed Dana on some of the specifics of the low pay.
 

Haulport

Quis Custodiet Ipsos Custodes
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Jan 17, 2015
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There is no incentive for the UFC to pay fighters well. There is no viable competition (Bellator? LOLOLOL); there is no union (fuck unions anyway); and plenty of fans slurp up whatever wrestle-box diarrhea Dana and his staff shit out every month onto PPV and ESPN+ or wherever.............
 

Jehannum

TMMAC's Most Handsome Artist
Jan 26, 2016
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if it's really 20% of revenue that goes to the fighter's how much do you think the UFC spend on overhead costs?
 

Wild

Zi Nazi
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Dec 31, 2014
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Gotta admit, that's a real retarded takeaway, sir.

Firstly, everyone's wages always increase due to inflation.

Secondly, the UFC's wages as a percentage of revenue haven't budged in prior years and probably even decreased since the ESPN deal.

Thirdly, a child could see Dana's pathetic dodge here. If Kneepad Brett was a real journalist - which of course, he isn't - he would realize we already have this information and pressed Dana on some of the specifics of the low pay.
You're retarded!
 

Sheepdog

Protecting America from excessive stool loitering
Dec 1, 2015
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You're retarded!
Yes I am. And as a retard, I have Retardar, which is just like Gaydar and I also have ReGaydar, which enables me to spot fellow retarded gays.

My Retardar goes berserk every time someone is convinced by one of Dana White's lies.
 

Jehannum

TMMAC's Most Handsome Artist
Jan 26, 2016
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Yes I am. And as a retard, I have Retardar, which is just like Gaydar and I also have ReGaydar, which enables me to spot fellow retarded gays.

My Retardar goes berserk every time someone is convinced by one of Dana White's lies.
You sound like Mantenna but the retarded version

 

Dick Niaz

Yearning for TMMAC days gone by
Jan 14, 2018
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I’m all for the free market dictating who gets more and who needs to do more (inside or outside the cage to deserve more). Those who bring in fewer viewers or who neglect to provide entertainment (i.e. a wet blanket ca a finisher), should be paid less until they have blue-collared their way into a top ranking. My issue is who the UFC “promotional machine” chooses to push. It makes sense for CM Punk to get paid considering the business implications, but he was an established star already. Early PVZ? No. Sean O’Malley? Nope. Greg Hardy? Fuck that - regardless of his NFL paycheck the dude had zero football or life options after his woman beating & release. None of them had earned the spotlight which lead to the main event pay rate, the exposure for sponsors, etc.
 

Jehannum

TMMAC's Most Handsome Artist
Jan 26, 2016
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I’m all for the free market dictating who gets more and who needs to do more (inside or outside the cage to deserve more). Those who bring in fewer viewers or who neglect to provide entertainment (i.e. a wet blanket ca a finisher), should be paid less until they have blue-collared their way into a top ranking. My issue is who the UFC “promotional machine” chooses to push. It makes sense for CM Punk to get paid considering the business implications, but he was an established star already. Early PVZ? No. Sean O’Malley? Nope. Greg Hardy? Fuck that - regardless of his NFL paycheck the dude had zero football or life options after his woman beating & release. None of them had earned the spotlight which lead to the main event pay rate, the exposure for sponsors, etc.
but should people like Dana be making over 20 million a year? paying Sage Northcutt 50k is nothing comparatively speaking.
 

Dick Niaz

Yearning for TMMAC days gone by
Jan 14, 2018
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but should people like Dana be making over 20 million a year? paying Sage Northcutt 50k is nothing comparatively speaking.
Yeah, not to bring this down an economical debate path, but I think Dana deserves whatever portion of the pot he can secure. If WME didn’t value his services for the rate he gets, they can release him. If he doesn’t get what he thinks he deserves, he can walk and start a new promotion. If we aren’t happy with what Dana makes we don’t have to buy their product. If fighters feel they can make more elsewhere, they can move to another league when their contract expires. IMHO of course.
 

Jehannum

TMMAC's Most Handsome Artist
Jan 26, 2016
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Yeah, not to bring this down an economical debate path, but I think Dana deserves whatever portion of the pot he can secure. If WME didn’t value his services for the rate he gets, they can release him. If he doesn’t get what he thinks he deserves, he can walk and start a new promotion. If we aren’t happy with what Dana makes we don’t have to buy their product. If fighters feel they can make more elsewhere, they can move to another league when their contract expires. IMHO of course.
Fair enough, it's a shame we have to invent imaginary scenarios for fighters to get a decent cut of the profits they earn. We both know that 400+ fighters aren't going to leave the UFC which is really the only way to combat them while they block any attempts at a union or whatever other solutions would benefit the fighters. Sure there are always those willing to step up and compete in the UFC if they are losing dozens of fighters but not when it's hundreds and many of their big names. I know the UFC's running costs must be significantly higher than Bellator due to how much work they do worldwide for MMA and their brand but I doubt it's 60% of the revenue which means other people take more out of the pot than all the fighters put together.
 

kneeblock

Drapetomaniac
Apr 18, 2015
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I wonder if in this era if a pair of semi-popular fighters said they were going to go at it on a rooftop Randleman/Coleman style and streamed it on YouTube or Facebook, could they make more from Patreon donations than their UFC take-home. Also did Razak ever release that dang video?
 

Onetrickpony

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Nov 21, 2016
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Conor McGregor Tops UFC's 20 All-Time Highest-Paid Fighters - SPORTbible


Credit: PA
3. Georges St-Pierre ($7m)

2. Michael Bisping ($7.1m)

1. Conor McGregor ($9.5m)


Credit: PA
UFC's top 20 highest-paid fighters dwarf the earnings of the average fighters, according to the figures.

UFC fighters' earnings are based around $138,000, which is substantially higher than the average US full-time workers' salary of $45,000 yearly.

The figures also revealed that around 187 UFC fighters earned over $100,000 last year, though 37 per cent of fighters earned less money than the average American's yearly salary.
 

Jehannum

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Jan 26, 2016
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that can't be right, he made about 10mil for one fight ^^
 

Jehannum

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McGregor got a base salary of $3 million for the his UFC 229 bout, but a record 2.4 million PPV buys helped push his total fight pay over $30 million

from Forbes
 

Jehannum

TMMAC's Most Handsome Artist
Jan 26, 2016
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I guess they only count disclosed pay, GSP has made way more than 7mil too.