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Dana White and the UFC are facing a lot of heat these days regarding the issue of fighter pay. Several MMA fighters have raised their voices, claiming they are severely underpaid in comparison to athletes from other sports. However, there was a time when White stated that UFC fighters were making as much money as athletes from other sporting leagues.
In 2011, the UFC president mentioned the various bonuses that were awarded to fighters during UFC events:
"There's bonuses built into the fights for 'Best Fight of the Night', 'Knockout of the Night'... Trust me when I tell you, these guys are making a lot of money. And we are on par with all the other sport leagues out there."
Watch the 2011 clip of Dana White talking about fighter pay below:
UFC heavyweight champion Francis Ngannou is also at loggerheads with the UFC regarding the terms of his fight contract. Ngannou wants a better deal that will also allow him to compete in boxing outside the promotion.
YouTuber turned boxer Jake Paul extended his support to 'The Predator' by uploading a post on Twitter:
"Francis Ngannou deserves much better than the lies and disrespect Dana White has shown him and his manager. It’s time for everyone to say F*** Dana White and support the men and women who put their bodies at risk to make him fat and rich."
Dana White explains why he did not put the belt on Francis Ngannou at UFC 270
Francis Ngannou successfully defended his heavyweight title against Ciryl Gane at UFC 270. After Ngannou got his hand raised, it was Mick Maynard and not Dana White, who put the belt on the champion. White's absence during that moment became a topic of interest and speculation.
In a recent Q&A session with Laura Sanko, the UFC president revealed why he wasn't present in the octagon when Ngannou was declared the winner at UFC 270:
"I actually walked out of the arena right after the co-main event because there was stuff going on that I was dealing with. For anybody to think I was showing any type of disrespect toward Francis, I saw Francis all week, you idiots. I shook his hand. I said 'hi' to him. I was out there for the staredowns, the whole thing."
