Dana White really stepped in it when he decided to open up his treasure chest for the NELK boys’ Kyle Foreguard. White reportedly gave the youtuber $250,000 in cash as a gift.
This was immediately received with tremendous backlash from the fans.
But slowly and surely the fighters are waking up to the travesty that are UFC financials. According to earning reports, Fighters compensation is typically just 18,19% of a revenue an event brings in.
When we starting the union bois https://t.co/gqZkYAPOCe
— Louis Smolka (@LouisSmolkaMMA) July 12, 2022
Louis Smolka kicked off the festivities.
Aljamain Sterling followed suit.
“.Dope! My birthday is July 31st! Can’t wait to see what Dana gets me!
@danawhite”
.Dope! My birthday is July 31st! Can’t wait to see what Dana gets me! @danawhite
— Aljamain Sterling (@funkmasterMMA) July 12, 2022
Retweet if you think Uncle Dana should give all of the UFC’s top 15 ranked fighters $250,000 for their next birthday. https://t.co/F9BhltEPP7
— Dan Hardy (@danhardymma) July 12, 2022
I think everyone involved with the UFC would love a surprise $250k! But what Dana does with his personal money is up to him!
— Alan Jouban (@AlanJouban) July 12, 2022
In addition to the fighters, Jake Paul pitched in and called White a “s***bag”.
“It sucks and it’s embarrassing,” Paul told WFAN Sports Radio’s Carton and Roberts show of the video. “It just shows how much of a s***bag Dana White is.
“How could you do that to your fighters? You’re giving out birthday gifts to someone but your own flyweight champion you can’t pay him enough? And there’s no healthcare for his fighters?
“People are really starting to see how greedy this guy is, people are really starting to see that these fighters are underpaid. There’s got to be some change made here. The more we talk about it, the more we raise awareness and the more we fight back, the more pressure they’re going to be under to pay their fighters more.”
“But it sucks, man. I feel bad for the flyweight champion…and Dana White, if you’re listening to this, bro, you really need to re-evaluate yourself and take a hard look in the mirror.”