Dana White is once again defending the UFC’s fighter pay structure amid growing criticism surrounding how little many newcomers earn despite the promotion’s massive financial success.
The debate intensified after reports surfaced that the UFC’s new media rights agreement with Paramount could be worth roughly $7.7 billion over several years. At the same time, entry-level fighters signed through Dana White’s Contender Series are still believed to start on contracts around $10,000 to show and $10,000 to win.
Speaking to Rolling Stone, White argued that critics often ignore one key factor when discussing those numbers: many fighters entering the UFC are still unproven.
“When people talk about fighter pay, you know what they don’t compare it to?” White said. “What a guy makes when he goes into his boxing debut.”
White pushed back strongly against the idea that every new UFC signing should immediately receive major contracts before proving they belong on the roster.
“If you come into the UFC, let’s say you sign a three-fight deal,” White explained. “We’re gonna find out if you even belong in the UFC. So, I should pay you $370K to see if you belong in the UFC?”
The UFC boss also emphasized how dramatically fighter compensation has evolved since the Fertitta era began in 2001, noting that many athletes previously needed second jobs just to survive while competing.
“When we first bought this, most of these guys had jobs where they would train on the side and fight in the UFC,” White said. “Now it is at a level where everyone is a professional athlete.”
White further insisted that fighter pay has consistently risen alongside the company’s growth.
“Since 2001, the pay has gone like this,” he said while motioning upward. “If you look at the deal we just cut with Paramount, imagine how it’s going to look over the next seven years.”
Still, criticism surrounding UFC pay remains one of the sport’s hottest talking points, especially as the organization continues generating record-breaking revenue while lower-tier fighters reportedly take home only a fraction of their contracts after expenses, taxes, and coaching fees are deducted.