UFC President Dana White vowed never again to be convinced to increase fighter bonuses after he said fighters didn’t try any harder to earn the extra cash over the weekend.
Specifically, White referred to the fact that he doubled fighter bonuses for UFC 304 to $100,000 — a semi-frequent pattern that has occurred in the last few years. Typically, fans, reporters, or fighters convince White to increase prize money for knockouts, submissions, or overall great performances during the week leading up to the fights.
This time, fighter Bobby Green convinced the UFC boss to double bonuses from the usual $50,000 for Saturday’s event in Manchester, England.
‘You can thank everybody on this card for that.’
At the end of the night — which was actually near sunrise in the U.K. — White was asked at a press conference if he would consider permanently increasing the bonuses: “You know, every time you get on a press conference the fighters manage to get you to up the bonuses; do you think there’s an argument that maybe you should just up them [permanently]?”
White interrupted: “I think tonight showed that we should not, no. Upping them doesn’t change anything; it doesn’t make anybody fight any harder, it doesn’t change anything!” White said, becoming increasingly annoyed.
The UFC head clarified that he still might increase the bonuses in a preplanned way, but not in the sense that he would be convinced at a press conference. “I’m not doing this again, ever. Today was the last day that I’m doing that, yeah. Not saying that in the future the bonuses couldn’t get up, but I’m not going to be at a press conference to say ‘200! 300!’ Never again, never again! So you can thank everybody on this card for that.”
“Damn, dude,” one of the reporters was heard saying.
“Nobody fought any harder, there was no sense of urgency, [no] ‘Holy s**t, I want the $100,000.’ Seven straight …” White continued.
“It is 3 a.m.!” the same reporter complained.
“Who gives a f***?!” White came back. “It’s 7 o’clock in Vegas, so whatever. Yeah, never again okay? Seven straight f***ing decisions, yeah the $100,000 was was was a real big f***ing ‘woo hoo, let’s get it boys!’ F*** that, f***ing never again.”
The main event between Leon Edwards and Belal Muhammad also ended in a decision, leaving fans disappointed with its pace.
When asked about the performances, White shrugged at reporters and admitted that “it wasn’t a barn-burner.”
When a reporter asked White if he thought the late start time for the event was the reason for the lackluster bouts, White responded by saying, “I have no clue.”
The Pay-Per-View event’s official start time was 10 p.m. Eastern time, but it was taking place in Manchester, England, meaning the local start time was around 3:30 a.m..
Fighters Mick Parkin, Tom Aspinall, and Paddy Pimblett all received the fight bonuses, with Pimblett receiving $200,000.
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Fearless, Dana white, Ufc, England, Sports
