Fans have criticised Dana White after several fighters on Saturday's night UFC event were paid just $12,000 for their fights.
The UFC hosted an action-packed card in San Diego, California on Saturday night which saw six finishes and a fight of the year candidate between Nate Landwehr and David Onama. In the main event of the Fight Night card, UFC legend Dominick Cruz was brutally knocked out with a head kick by Marlon 'Chito' Vera.
California is one of the few US states that still release fighter payouts following UFC events, so fans were able to see how much fighters made for their efforts. Four fighters on the card were guaranteed just $12,000, with two Contender Series alumni being guaranteed just $10,000 for their debuts.
One fan questioned why Azamat Murzakanov, who defeated Devin Clark by stoppage on the main card, was guaranteed just $12,000: "Murzakanov makes $24,000 while the guy he beat on Contender Series, Matheus Scheffel, punched his ticket tonight to fight for $1million in the PFL finals," they wrote. Scheffel progressed to the heavyweight PFL final on the same night as Murzakanov and will fight for the promotion's $1million prize against Ante Delija in November.
Fighter pay is a hot topic in the UFC with YouTube-star-turned-boxer Jake Paul putting pressure on White to improve conditions for his athletes. Paul has challenged White to increase the minimum purse to $50,000 and give fighters an increased split of revenue, whilst also guaranteeing them long-term healthcare once they retire from fighting.
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One user touched on Paul's campaign amid the fighter payouts, commenting: " Jake Paul might be the hero UFC fighters need, Cruz should have made a good $500,000." Cruz has been competing in the UFC for over a decade and is a former two-time bantamweight champion, but was paid just $175,000 for his knockout loss.
Another user scolded White by writing: "You must be proud Dana White, modern day slave owner." A fourth user questioned why the UFC is earning billions of dollars put paying their fighters "s***" money, commenting: "Multi-billion dollar company paying their fighters like s***. White recently defended fighter pay in the UFC by insisting the "money is spread out amongst all the fighters" and told those complaining about pay issues to start-up their own MMA promotion.
