Last year was nothing short of marvelous for UFC CEO Dana White, as the organization generated nearly $140 million in revenue solely from its prime events. Both the fighters and the promoters worked tirelessly to ensure that the promotion maintained its dominant position. However, despite securing a massive $100+ million this year, the UFC CEO has faced accusations of underpaying fighters. A recent financial disclosure by a fighter has sparked widespread criticism among fans, urging the UFC CEO to address these concerns.

An account slip of John Makdessi made it to the deepest corners of Reddit, and the fans couldn’t take their eyes off it. According to the payment slip, the fighter made a meager $58,000 in gross payments. However, after multiple deductions such as medical expenses, airfare, and the substantial federal tax, the Canadian fighter received only $28,461 as their salary for a fight. Well, it must be noted that Makdessi is not a new fighter within the promotion but a veteran, who was with the promotion since 2010 and is now signed with the Global Fight League (GFL).

Payment clauses have always been a contentious issue in promotions. Recently, Dana White and his team faced antitrust lawsuits, with the courts ordering the entity to pay a hefty $375 million to the thousand fighters who filed the lawsuit against the company. The initial amount that the group of 1200 fighters demanded was in billions but after subsequent talks, TKO Group, UFC’s parent company, agreed to the settlement with the plaintiffs.

It must be noted that even former heavyweight champion Francis Ngannou parted ways with the promotion, citing stringent contracts and money clauses. Regardless, the leaks seemed to have caused the MMA community to turn against the UFC CEO at the start of the year.

Dana White faces backlash from fans over fighter pay

With an MMA career spanning almost a decade, John Makdessi has 18 victories and 9 defeats in his MMA career, the promotion states that it pays its journeymen fighters well but the reality might just be otherwise going by the fighter’s leaked pay slip. Looking at this a fan wrote, “That’s a guy with 19 fights in the UFC, still being paid 58k to fight lol”

Fighting as a career demands both physical and mental sacrifices, and professional fighters go through pain daily to fight once or twice a year. Hence, fans believe they should be compensated well. A social media user highlighted the same thing, “Truly insane why anyone would want to be a MMA/UFC fighter.”

According to various reports, an average US salaryman earns around $68,124 per year, however, a fighter’s pay doesn’t align with the national average. Furthermore, MMA is an expensive sport to train. A Reddit user emphasized that the fighters should be compensated enough because they potentially risk their lives for entertainment, “Risking life threatening injuries just for 28k. These guys really do it for the love of the game.” Dana White’s net-worth, as of 2024, is around $500 million and he is expected to reach a billion-dollar valuation at the end of his career as a promoter, looking at this a fan stated, “Only way Dana can become a billionaire is to rob his employees.”

Last but not least, a social media user stressed that low pay might be the reason why most MMA fighters look for influencer boxing fights against the likes of Jake Paul: “No wonder these guys take dives against Jake Paul.”

What are your thoughts on the payday for such a veteran fighter? Is $58,000 justified at the end of a 20-fight promotional career? Do you think Dana White should pay his fighters more? State your thoughts in the comment below.