UFC 294 has concluded and we have a set of winners. The event was on the verge of a massive embarrassment due to the sudden pullout of Charles Oliveira and Paulo Costa. However, it has now turned into a massive success, thanks to Dana White’s lightning-fast response to manage the disaster.

Dana White chipped in with Alexander Volkanovski and Kamaru Usman to fight against Islam Makhachev and Khamzat Chimaev. White’s approach to the disaster was lauded by the combat community as he not only saved the card but also made it even better. Veteran UFC commentator Joe Rogan and ex-UFC star Brenden Schaub also provided their two cents on why White had to bring in ‘Volk’ and Usman.

Joe Rogan and Brendan Schaub discuss Dana White’s need to provide top fighters for Chimaev and Makhachev

The UFC 294 event was nothing less than a dramatic Hollywood movie. It was packed with headline fights such as Charles Oliveira vs. Islam Makhachev and Paulo Costa vs. Khamzat Chimaev. Costa and Chimaev even went on to have a serious feud in anticipation of their bout, However, things went downhill when Oliveira and Costa pulled out of their fights citing injuries. This move left the entire event in a precarious situation, but Dana White was quick to alarm his team, which resulted in Alexander Volkanovski and Kamaru Usman stepping up.

White’s action raised a question about why there were no backup fighters for such high-profile fights beforehand. Joe Rogan and Brendan Schaub answered this question in Rogan’s JRE Fight Companion, where he hosted Bryan Callen, Brendan Schaub, and Eddie Bravo. While having the conversation surrounding backup fighters for UFC 294, Schaub stated that UFC can’t just keep anyone as the backup fighter for such high-profile fights.

Schaub said, “They have a contract there. They can’t put on just any guy you’ve never heard of against Khamzat, Volkanovski, or Makhachev. They have to fill it contractually. They have to fill it with big fights. That’s why you’ve got these dogs on the table, notice. And that’s why the boys got paid.” 

Rogan agreed with Schaub’s statement and stated that it made sense. With Schaub’s statement, it is rather clear why the fighters earned such big bucks in their match. The leaks have made it clear that the event was a massive hit for the fighters as well as for the promotion.

Huge bucks earned by the fighters

The fighters collectively pulled in an impressive sum of around $13 million in earnings from the event. Makhachev led the pack with a substantial payout of $4.2 million, closely trailed by Alexander Volkanovski, who secured $3.3 million. Not far behind was Khamzat Chimaev, receiving a handsome $2.85 million. Kamaru Usman also earned a respectable sum of $2.4 million.

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Makhachev’s first-round knockout of Volkanovski was the standout of the night, earning him the POTN award. Three other fighters also delivered outstanding performances. Muhammad Mokaev’s win over Tim Elliott, Said Nurmagomedov’s rapid finish of Muin Gafurov, and Ikram Aliskerov’s exceptional bout against Warlley Alves all deserved their own POTN recognition.

With UFC 294 over do you think that Dana White’s actions were justified? Tell us about your opinion in the comments below.

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