Dana White Defends UFC Pay Structure - Fight Forum - MMA - UFC - Boxing - K1

subgenius · 10-09-2006, 06:00 PM

Here is an interesting article about Dana White and the pay that MMA fighters get. Ironically, the article came froma pro-wrestling website.

Dana White Defends UFC Pay Structure
Article By: Will Hengelbrok
Posted on: September 11, 2006, 9:12am

The following is from the SLAM! Sports website out of Canada:

UFC president defends pay structure

By NEIL DAVIDSON

(CP) - The president of the Ultimate Fighting Championship defended his organization's pay structure Tuesday, saying his fighters were happy with their piece of the mixed martial arts pie.

"Believe me when I tell you, brother, people aren't leaving me," Dana White said in an interview Tuesday. While declining to detail UFC's finances, he said his athletes were happy with their take. "We're a private company and our fighters make a lot of money, a lot of money," he added.

UFC 62: Liddell vs. Sobral card drew 10,419 to the Mandalay Bay Events Center in Las Vegas on Saturday, for a paid gate of $3,040,880 US.

The UFC made millions more off its pay per view, which cost $39.99 Cdn in Canada.

According to information provided Monday by the Nevada State Athletic Commission, the UFC paid the 18 fighters on the card a total of $407,000 US - with $250,000 of that going to light-heavyweight champion Chuck (The Iceman) Liddell for stopping Brazil's Renato (Babalu) Sobral in 95 seconds in the main event. Sobral earned $21,000.

White rejected figures from MMAWeekly.com, which follows the sport, that pay-per-view sales for UFC 60: Hughes vs. Gracie generated at least $23.97 million.

He declined to say what UFC's pay-per-view numbers are.

The Las Vegas Review Journal, however, has reported UFC co-owner Lorenzo Fertitta saying that UFC 52: Couture vs. Liddell II in April 2005 did 320,000 pay per views, which would translate into more than $11 million US.

Asked about the UFC's profits from such pay-per-views, White said: "Everybody's happy."

"None of us are arguing, none of us are bitching and none of us are fighting. We get along with all of our fighters very well. They feel like they're part of a very happy family. Let me tell you what, I can sleep at night. I'm not in this for the money and I never was.

"We're a real business. We've got this thing rolling and we're thrilled, thrilled that these guys are able to make what they're making."

White cited middleweight champion Rich Franklin, a native of Cincinnati whose UFC deal calls for a basic fee of $18,000 per fight with another $18,000 for each win.

"Him and his wife just bought 15 acres of land and a big fat house that they just moved into," White said.

White also denied being responsible for having the head of the rival World Fighting Alliance ejected from the Mandalay Bay at UFC 61: Bitter Rivals. Jeremy Lappen was asked to leave by Mandalay Bay officials, White said, because he had people distributing flyers in the casino for a WFA event.

The UFC president said he "embraced" competition from rival organizations.

"These guys create the talent that's going to end up in my show some day. I've got no problem with these guys."

"I've made more millionaires in this business than anybody else has," White added.

But he said his fighters don't like their paydays being revealed.

"Because when people know what you make, it causes a lot of problems in your life."

Goeth27 · 10-09-2006, 06:03 PM

Anyone who complains about fighters pay, besides the fighters, tick me off.

subgenius · 10-09-2006, 06:17 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Goeth27

Anyone who complains about fighters pay, besides the fighters, tick me off.

Why? I mean, MMA fighters should be making hughe money, IMO. I like it that Liddell made $250k for his fight with Babalu. I think it sucks that Babalu only made $21k. But, that is the landscape we see today. A guy that KO'd almost all of his opponents is worth $250k. Still, Babalu can fight three or four times in a year and make about $100k. So, it is good to be a good MMA fighter.

Goeth27 · 10-09-2006, 06:26 PM

Because if fighters are getting paid 1 million to win a fight, then 990 thousand to lose the fight, there isn't much of a reason to win. I mean look at boxing for example and their outrageous payrolls.

Also if I were a fighter I would love to fight in the UFC for free even, it has a huge viewer base.

Curly · 10-09-2006, 06:59 PM

Frankly I dont know why people worry so much about what the UFC fighters make. As long as the UFC gets good fighters thats all I care about.

WRA7488 · 10-09-2006, 07:03 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by subgenius

The UFC made millions more off its pay per view, which cost $39.99 Cdn in Canada.

Doesn't this translate roughly into $35 USD? They don't pay as much??

Harms · 10-09-2006, 07:25 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by WRA7488

Doesn't this translate roughly into $35 USD? They don't pay as much??

You have it backwards on the exchange rate. You can buy less with an american dollar in Canada.

It was $40 here in the US.

PrettyBoy · 10-09-2006, 07:36 PM

I'm not going to complain, since the people who fight don't complain thereselves, so why should we?

PghPens71 · 10-09-2006, 08:16 PM

Rich should be making aaaaaaalot more from what I've seen/heard that he makes. Hopefully saturday he's walking in with a big wallet, and out with an even bigger 1.

AikaImmortal · 10-09-2006, 08:26 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Harms

You have it backwards on the exchange rate. You can buy less with an american dollar in Canada.

It was $40 here in the US.

Nope, you have it backwards. 45USD is equal to 50.67CND. So in reverse, if they pay 45CND for a pay per view, if paid in USD it would only cost 39.96USD.

As of todays market.. $1.13 CND = roughly $1.00 USD. Confusing I know

Bomber · 10-09-2006, 08:27 PM

I linked this interview over a month ago. Check out this thread for anyone who's interested in the topic. The article link appears on pg 3.

http://www.fightforum.com/ufc/4900-f...-ufc-62-a.html

Bomber · 10-09-2006, 08:35 PM

Re currency conversion, if you buy a UFC pay-per-view in Canada, it's $39.99CA. If you pay for it in Canada using US dollars it would be $35.54US.

Harms · 10-09-2006, 08:37 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bomber

Re currency conversion, if you buy a UFC pay-per-view in Canada, it's $39.99CA. If you pay for it in Canada using US dollars it would be $35.54US.

i stand corrected

sanjeevjoseph · 10-09-2006, 08:45 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by PghPens71

Rich should be making aaaaaaalot more from what I've seen/heard that he makes. Hopefully saturday he's walking in with a big wallet, and out with an even bigger 1.

Don't forget these guys' endorsement contracts. That brings in a lot more $$$$.

Profane · 10-09-2006, 08:46 PM

i've always wondered if what were seeing is what they make for the fight but i always was under the impression they made a base salary as well from there contract. and i do remember Melvin Giullard saying you get a 10k bonus for KO'ing someone. then i also remember hearing one of the TUF 4 guys say Jermey Jackson just threw away 50K. from what i remember it sounded like he was saying they all were gonna get 50K just for doing the show. i think it was Din Thomas. so im sure the figures we see are part of there pay i bet they make alot more that doesnt have to be reported.

Grave · 10-09-2006, 09:29 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Goeth27

Because if fighters are getting paid 1 million to win a fight, then 990 thousand to lose the fight, there isn't much of a reason to win.

Thats B.S, theres always reasons to win. For one thing UFC won't keep around guys who LOSE all the time to begin with, much less keep paying them the same amounts,etc. Then there's wanting to succeed, wanting to be champion, etc.

Unless you're Royce Gracie ofcoarse, then its ok to take a fight and lose just for the $$$$$. apparently....

Harms · 10-09-2006, 09:40 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Profane

i've always wondered if what were seeing is what they make for the fight but i always was under the impression they made a base salary as well from there contract. and i do remember Melvin Giullard saying you get a 10k bonus for KO'ing someone. then i also remember hearing one of the TUF 4 guys say Jermey Jackson just threw away 50K. from what i remember it sounded like he was saying they all were gonna get 50K just for doing the show. i think it was Din Thomas. so im sure the figures we see are part of there pay i bet they make alot more that doesnt have to be reported.

I think the same thing.

Rush2814 · 10-09-2006, 10:59 PM

I think the biggest criticism people have about the payouts is the large discrepancy between, for example, Liddell and Forrest. There's over a $220,000 difference between their payouts, and even in spite of the fact Liddell's the champion and his track record warrants it, you could easily make the arguement that he shouldn't be getting as big a portion of the payout.

subgenius · 10-09-2006, 11:59 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Profane

i've always wondered if what were seeing is what they make for the fight but i always was under the impression they made a base salary as well from there contract. and i do remember Melvin Giullard saying you get a 10k bonus for KO'ing someone. then i also remember hearing one of the TUF 4 guys say Jermey Jackson just threw away 50K. from what i remember it sounded like he was saying they all were gonna get 50K just for doing the show. i think it was Din Thomas. so im sure the figures we see are part of there pay i bet they make alot more that doesnt have to be reported.

It is TV. The MMA fighters on TUF get paid per episode for just being on TV. Reality TV shows try to play down the fact that the people on the show get paid to be there. They sign a TV contract and get paid for the time. 50K? Maybe for the entire season. That does seem high. But, some sitcom stars make $50K per episode. I think Sienfeld made like $150k per episode.

Goeth27 · 10-10-2006, 12:17 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Grave

Thats B.S, theres always reasons to win. For one thing UFC won't keep around guys who LOSE all the time to begin with, much less keep paying them the same amounts,etc. Then there's wanting to succeed, wanting to be champion, etc.

Unless you're Royce Gracie ofcoarse, then its ok to take a fight and lose just for the $$$$$. apparently....

There is reasons to win yes, but the fighter wouldn't have the motivation to train to win if they knew they were gonna get a purse comparible to the winners purse even if they lose.

I would just like to see a big motivation to win, such as money, which is how it is now.