23 years as UFC President, Dana White reacts to Saudi Arabia pumping $100,000,000 into rivals PFL

UFC President Dana White shares his thoughts on the new PFL deal with SRJ Sports Investment worth $100,000,000.

23 years as UFC President, Dana White reacts to Saudi Arabia pumping $100,000,000 into rivals PFL

Dana White(Image courtesy: IMAGO)

The investment by Saudi Arabian company SRJ Sports Investment in the PFL(Professional Fighters League) was a ground-breaking move in combat sports. This deal could potentially mark the emergence of PFL as a global leader to compete against top promotions like UFC. The president of the UFC, Dana White shared his thoughts on this deal.

White said, “There’s been plenty of people that have opened the checkbook to be a competitor. It’s not about money. As I sit back after being in this for 23 years and I watch everything that is done wrong.” Further, White also corrected the claim from PFL CEO Donn Davis regarding the payment issued to the fighters. Davis initially accused UFC of paying less money compared to the PFL. In that interview, White called these organizations ‘charities’ and not businesses.

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SRJ Sports Investment was a part of the Saudi Public Investment Fund(PIF). Reports suggest that this organization made a gigantic investment of $100,000,000 in the PFL. The motto behind this move was to improve the awareness and participation of the Middle East in combat sports. A part of the deal also directs towards the birth of a new league called the PFL MENA(Middle East and North Africa). However, the prime focus was making PFL a global industry leader.

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This investment could definitely create concerns for the UFC as the promotion PFL has already signed huge stars like Francis Ngannou and Jake Paul. Despite all these factors, UFC president White seems unfazed by these changes. The superiority of the UFC over other organizations has lasted for a long time, making it one of the strongest competitors.

Related: Following Saudi Arabia’s $100 million MMA promotion purchase, UFC and WWE see huge drop in market value

Dana White calls PFL a charity and not a business

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Dana White(Image courtesy: MMA Fighting)

In a recent interview, Dana White finally shared his thoughts on the multi-million dollar deal of the PFL. White showed a confident front to this situation and claimed to outlast another upcoming organization, which was just pumping money.

White said that such organizations do not understand the dynamics that surround this business. He called these organizations ‘charities’ and also questioned their longevity in the fight business. White assured his audience that such organizations have a bleak future and are bound to run out of money. He believed this investment could lead the companies to waste unbelievable amounts of cash.

These recent developments in the Middle East were made to make PFL front-runners in the combat business. The way this deal plays out and how it changes the market, these questions can only be answered by waiting out the future.

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