Dana White Brutally Shuts Down ‘Fighter Pay’ Topic Despite Landing $7.7 Billion Paramount Deal

UFC CEO Dana White harshly replies to a reporter who questioned about fighter pay ahead of historic Paramount CBS deal.

Dana White Brutally Shuts Down ‘Fighter Pay’ Topic Despite Landing $7.7 Billion Paramount Deal

Dana White gives harsh reply to a reporter (via Athlon Sports)

🔍 Explore this post with:

ChatGPTPerplexityGrok AIGoogle AI

There is no doubt that the UFC has risen to become one of the leading sports promotions in recent years. It has given the sport of MMA a new identity and a large fanbase, all thanks to head honcho Dana White and his efforts to build up the UFC into a global phenomenon. White was recently seen answering questions and had a ruthless reply for a reporter who had a question concerning fighter pay.

White has recently landed a $7.7 billion broadcast deal with Paramount CBS. The UFC CEO was answering questions post a successful UFC 319 event. However, White was visibly irked by a question from one of the reporters, which resulted in a harsh reply. The reporter asked White if he would move away from the show/win model and provide equal pay for all fighters.

Listen, man, this business has worked just fine. The model isn’t broken. I love when people who have no f***ing idea what they are talking about, don’t know anything about the business, give input.

Dana White via UFC press conference

The deal between UFC and Paramount CBS meant that the pay-per-view system had come to an end. The ten-figure agreement confirmed that the UFC will have a new home from 2026 and will follow a more fan-oriented model. However, White shocked fans when he recently revealed that the “PPV model was not dead”.

There have been many concerns regarding fighter pay, and White has come under scrutiny over the issue. However, the most prominent critic of the UFC’s fighter pay is boxer and influencer Jake Paul. With new money coming in, removing the show/win model can help the fighter’s pay.

The younger Paul brother has been a vocal advocate for the fighters’ pay to be raised and often compared it to boxing. The 28-year-old has scrutinized White on multiple instances, which has resulted in aggressive replies from the CEO. However, the UFC boss didn’t believe the show/win model was broken.

Fighter pay is a never-ending debate in the UFC. Some fighters feel satisfied with their fight purse, while some condemn the model due to the high cost of living. White has always harshly replied to any questions regarding the topic and does not like people interfering in his business.

Dana White dismisses plans for possible UFC Apex expansion

The UFC-Paramount CBS deal has opened a lot of new doors for opportunities to expand and change the old model. There have been many speculations regarding what changes the historical broadcasting deal could bring.

The UFC Apex is a popular arena famous for hosting UFC Fight Night events and Dana White Contender Series matches. However, the UFC boss recently spoke on a rumor that was circulating concerning the polarizing arena.

Dana White talks about UFC Apex
Dana White talks about UFC Apex (Lv SportsBiz, MMA Fighting)

The rumour concerned the UFC Apex being expanded into an arena that could house almost 10,000 fans. However, when asked, White was sure to dismiss these claims as nothing but rumours. The UFC head honcho revealed that the story appeared out of nowhere and had no real backing to it.

That was the biggest bu***hit story ever written. It is unbelievable. The quoted people that never said anything to them. If you look at the construction going on at the Apex, even to think that it is going to be a 10,000-seat arena, anyway, it’s f***ing unbelievable. Complete lie, everything about that story was a lie.

Dana White via UFC 319 Post-fight Press conference

While speculations circulated that the UFC Apex was being converted into a 10,000-seat arena, White has stated that such stories are false and overstated. The Apex is under renovation, but only to accommodate around 1,000 attendees, keeping its character as an intimate venue rather than a large-scale stadium.

This explanation emphasizes the UFC’s intention to retain the Apex’s distinct environment, rather than promote it as a large stadium experience. A majority of the fan base hope that the Apex cards would reduce under the new deal, but it doesn’t look like that at the moment.

Also Read: