Dana White tells UFC fighters not to expect $75,000 bonuses on the regular: “Seriously f*ck up our budget”
UFC president Dana White told the UFC fighters not to expect $75,000 bonuses on the regular, saying it would “seriously f*ck up our budget.”
White and the UFC increased the bonuses from $50,000 to $75,000 for UFC 264 and with the athletes having even more motivation, fans were rewarded with some amazing performances. At the end of the night, the promotion gave $75,000 each to bantamweight Sean O’Malley and Kris Moutimnho for “Fight of the Night,” and $75,000 to heavyweight Tai Tuivasa and also to middleweight Dricus Du Plessis for “Performance of the Night.”
The UFC made the $50,000 bonuses standard in 2013. Before that, the company would give different bonus amounts depending on the card and the fight. For example, the promotion gave out $100,000 bonuses at UFC 100, $129,000 bonuses at UFC 129, and have given particular fights, such as Martin Kampmann vs. Diego Sanchez, even greater amounts such as $160,000 since White enjoyed them so much. For the past eight years, however, the $50,000 number has been the standard, up until the last two months.
In May, the promotion decided to give out $75,000 bonuses to the fighters at UFC 262, and Charles Olivera, Christos Giagos, Edson Barboza, and Shane Burgos were treated to the bigger bonus amounts. At UFC 264 on Saturday night, the UFC once again increased the bonuses to $75,000. Speaking to reporters following the event, White explained why he decided to up the post-fight bonuses for the athletes for this particular event.
“I was in there giving the fighter meeting (before UFC 264), it’s a big fight (Poirier vs. McGregor 3), I was getting all fired up and said f*ck it. We get a little fired up in the fighter meetings sometimes,” White said.
However, when asked if White and the UFC will continue to give out $75,000 bonuses going forward, the UFC president cautioned against it, explaining it would mess up his budget.
“Probably not,” White said. “Seriously f*ck up our budget.”
Do you think Dana White should increase the UFC bonuses to $75,000 each?
