The UFC first launched back in 1993 and was a much different organization at that time. There were no weight classes, no specific uniforms, and didn't have a following. It was the wild, wild west in the combat sports world, that is until Dana White came into the picture. Lorenzo and Frank Fertitta purchased the UFC in 2001, where they installed Dana White as the president. Since then, White has led the UFC in becoming the most prominent name in combat sports.
It's no doubt that Dana White can be given the credit of bringing the UFC to its current level. After cleaning up the organization, creating weight classes, providing proper fight gear, and generating a competitive atmosphere, the UFC took over the globe as the top combat sports league in the world. He even created shows like The Ultimate Fighter, Looking for a Fight, and Dana White's Contender Series, as a way to generate even more interest.
In fact, the UFC is so popular, that during 2020 amidst the COVID-19 pandemic, Dana White claims the UFC had its best year financially in the history of the organization, per Bloody Elbow. Dana White and the rest of the executives make a ton of money, even during a pandemic where most businesses struggled.
Even so, the UFC has a money problem. It's not losing money, it's not running out of it either. Instead, the financial problems lie in the grossly underpayment of the fighters. Sure, Conor McGregor was just listed as the highest-paid athlete in the world, however, he's an outlier. Most of the money he's made came from selling Proper Twelve Whiskey, his own company he created, for up to $600 million.
According to Forbes, in 2021 McGregor has made $180 million, where only $22 million of that came from the UFC. That is the second-lowest amongst the top-ten paid athletes, having only Rodger Federer make less from tennis due to the fact he wasn't playing.
McGregor made a vast majority of his money outside of MMA after emerging as a marketing genius that not every fighter can replicate. The executives of the UFC take a higher percentage of the pay than any other professional sports league. The percentage of the payouts are completely unjust, as the fighters are receiving a minimal amount for their efforts.
The pay structure can be much of the blame, as the athletes are paid per fight. More fights equal more pay. It's simple and it worked for quite some time. However, the organization is much larger now, and the UFC has to find a way to adapt and adjust its pay structure.
According to The MMA Guru, the median salary in the UFC is $68,500. Although that's true, that number is elevated by guys like Conor McGregor and Khabib Nurmagomedov who make much more than that. The fact is, 37% of the fighters in the organization make less than $45,000 per year. That means most of the fighters we see go toe-to-toe in the octagon are making less than the US median.
They used to be able to wear sponsors on their fight kits, which gave the fighters another way to earn a paycheck. No longer is that allowed as Dana White stripped the athletes of that right, and instead, forced every fighter to wear a Venom uniform. White has monopolized the sponsorships, lining the pockets of the executives and himself even more so. This forces the fighters to find even more ways to potentially get paid, as sponsorship money has become limited.
On top of that, UFC fighters are becoming frustrated after watching YouTube stars Jake and Logan Paul make a huge sum of money in boxing. Neither of them are professional fighters, nor have they fought their entire lives. And yet, they're earning much larger paychecks than most of the UFC's top talent. There's a reason why Ben Askren was smirking after his loss, as he received the biggest payday of his life. Tyron Woodley, a former Welterweight UFC champion, is going to earn the largest paycheck of his career in his boxing bout against Jake Paul in August. An absolutely terrible look for the UFC.
The once-beloved sports president, who brought the UFC out of the dirt and into the clouds, has become a sort of villain to the MMA world. Not only does he underpay the fighters, but at times, White will talk down on fighters he's in disagreement with. He's had feuds with Nick and Nate Diaz, Cris Cyborg, Tito Ortiz, Paige Vanzant, Conor McGregor, and Jon Jones just to name a few (although, he has allowed Jones to get away with quite a bit, likely because Jones brings in the money). Dana White has even butted heads with Ariel Helwani, the most prominent name in MMA reporting.
Anyone who disagrees with Dana White is wrong. It's his way or the highway. He'll even result in bullying to ensure it, as there are numerous videos of White delivering verbal blows that are uncalled for. He's lining his pockets with more money than he can count at the fighter's expense. White refuses to even acknowledge it and gets testy when it's brought to his attention.
The UFC has a money problem, and most of it rests on White's shoulders. It's a simple fix of money disbursement, which would alleviate most of the pressure the organization is feeling right now. However, based on White's actions, that seems to be a long shot. It's time for change, and Dana White likely will never provide that. We'll see what happens, as the future of combat sports is in the hands of a money-hungry president who refuses to adapt.
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