Dana White Says Most UFC Fighters Make More Than Boxers

UFC president Dana White is defending UFC fighter salaries once more.

This subject has recently been at the center of many discussions. White and the UFC have been criticized for not adequately compensating the athletes. Many athletes have expressed their desire to be paid higher or have even implied that boxers get paid more.

In a new conversation with Yahoo Sports, White explained his reasoning.

“Yeah, definitely. Listen, when you talk about the elite, I’m putting on 44 fights in a year, right? And people are buying these pay-per-views, you know. 13 or 14 a year, watching all the other ones building, whatever. Then, when you look at what most of these guys make, most UFC fighters make more than boxers, okay?” White told Yahoo Sports.

“Most UFC fighters make more than boxers, especially at a lower level. Then, the guys, you know, the Khabibs, the Conors, the Rondas, you know, even the Jon Jones’, these guys make more than most of these guys that are fighting for big title fights,” he continued.

“Don’t believe the bullsh-t. Don’t believe all the stuff you hear. These guys make a lot of money.”

Typically, it is the prelim or lesser-known athletes who have requested funds. But it is not only the up-and-comers who are dissatisfied with their compensation.

Jones, a former UFC light heavyweight champion, publicly demanded that he should have been paid the same as the top-level fighters.

“You have these scumbags out there that know nothing about the business telling all the fighters, ‘Oh you are all being underpaid. You are not being paid enough money. You are not this.’ It goes on every f–king day. They literally know nothing about the business, or the pay, or how any of this sh-t works. It’s all part of the game.”

Jake Paul has been one of the proponents of increased compensation for MMA athletes.

Paul has been credited with rewarding ex-UFC fighters significantly more than with the organization. When fighting, Paul, Ben Askren and Tyron Woodley also earned large sums of money.

Askren made $500,000 while Woodley took home $2 million.