UFC Legend Reveals Reason Behind Dana White’s Leadership Being ‘Cheap’

Demetrious Johnson and Luke Thomas criticize Dana White and the UFC for lower promotional strategies and financial distribution.

UFC Legend Reveals Reason Behind Dana White’s Leadership Being ‘Cheap’

Dana White questioned by Demetrious Johnson and Luke Thomas (via Bleacher Report, Reddit)

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The UFC has consistently faced scrutiny over its approach to promoting major fights, with industry analysts highlighting differences in how matchups are marketed. Observers note that certain bouts receive extensive build-up and media attention, while others appear to have a more limited promotion. UFC legend Demetrious Johnson and Luke Thomas recently called out Dana White‘s UFC for the same.

One of the most notable examples of a comprehensive fight promotion is the grudge bout between Khabib Nurmagomedov and Conor McGregor. That matchup received an extensive campaign across multiple media platforms, including press conferences, promotional videos, and high-profile interviews. The promotional effort contributed to significant pay-per-view buys and widespread attention.

Thomas is one of the most popular MMA analysts and works for CBS Sports. He is known for his deep analysis of fights and has been critical of the UFC’s recent strategies. Thomas recently appeared on the Mighty podcast, hosted by Johnson, and discussed a variety of topics with the UFC legend. However, when the conversation turned to the UFC, Thomas did not hold back on Dana White and his team.

You’ve got the money to come up off your pockets a little bit and really make it worth it. I mean, like, imagine at welterweight, right, you had JDM and Islam and Shavkat and Sean Brady, and you did a $20M tournament. This would be awesome. You [UFC] could easily afford it. You are asking the people that are now getting gobsmackingly rich out of this, it doesn’t have to be like where we are actually wondering whether these guys think it’s worth their while anymore.

Luke Thomas via Mighty

Johnson, on the other hand, believed that part of the dynamic influencing promotional choices stems from fighters’ willingness to accept varying pay structures. From a factual standpoint, this creates an environment in which some athletes compete for relatively lower purses, making it less necessary for the organization to adjust promotional investments to attract fighters to particular bouts.

The only way things are going to change is if athletes go out there and be like, ‘Nah I ain’t gonna do that’ and I think the reason why they are not is, for me coming from a background where I was making 10.76 an hour and working 40 hours a week, and I get the opportunity to go to Vegas and fight and make 10 G’s and if I beat (a certain guy) I get 7 or 8. I think there is always going to be somebody willing to fight for cheaper.

Demetrious Johnson via Mighty

The upcoming superfight between Islam Makhachev and Jack Della Maddalena has been organized with standard UFC promotional activities, including media coverage. However, the level of promotion for this fight has not matched the intensity of prior high-profile matchups. This was also highlighted by Ariel Helwani, who slammed White for his low-level UFC 322 announcement for a fight of this scale.

The UFC and Dana White have also faced criticism for low fighter pay, sparking discussions about how resources are allocated for events. This rises especially after the UFC’s latest $7.7 billion deal with Paramount+.

Demetrious Johnson and Luke Thomas’s analysis of the UFC’s promotion and financial distribution emphasized that some fights receive less extensive build-up despite featuring prominent fighters.

Fans react to Demetrious Johnson and Luke Thomas criticizing Dana White and UFC’s promotional strategies

The conversation around fighter pay was reignited following comments from Demetrious Johnson and analyst Luke Thomas, with discussions spreading widely across social media and MMA forums. The remarks prompted renewed attention on how the UFC structures fighter compensation and how promotional efforts correlate with pay for high-profile matchups.

Dana White
Dana White (via The Boston Globe)

Some fans have criticized Luke Thomas, arguing that his commentary on UFC promotional spending and fighter pay was unnecessary. These voices point out that the UFC has become one of the most commercially successful combat sports organizations in recent years, generating substantial revenue and growing its global audience. Here are some fan reactions:

Some fans noted that public scrutiny can influence future decisions regarding event promotion and the perception of “big fight” events. At the same time, Dana White’s leadership is widely recognized for transforming the UFC from a struggling organization into a global sports powerhouse. This also demonstrated how strategic decisions about promotion and business operations have shaped the sport.

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