“Listen, it’s not an easy decision to make,” UFC President Dana White responded at the UFC 232 pre-fight press conference when being asked about the UFC 232 location change. “You have to pull the trigger and you’ve got to make moves.
“You’re not gonna make everybody happy. Can’t make every fan, every fighter, but we gave the fans in Las Vegas the opportunity to get tickets first, and the tickets are cheaper. We had over 3,000 people buy tickets here that had tickets in Vegas. We did everything we could to make it better. We did what we could do.
“Who is going to pay my income tax in California?” Dana White asked when being asked about the fighters being compensated for California’s income tax. “It is what it is. It’s either that or not fight and nobody gets paid, nobody does anything. It is what it is. We had to move it. Listen, it’s costing everybody more money. It is what it is.
“[The move has cost us] About six million dollars.”
The UFC 232 location change from Las Vegas, Nevada to Los Angeles, California had a lot more implications than many surely believed. Of course, there’s the controversy that follows Jon Jones who is the reason for the change in the first place, but by going from Nevada to California, it means that all fighters on the card will now be losing out on some cash due to California’s taxes. Unlike if it were to have stayed in Nevada.
As it is the fight business, Dana White just reiterated that “it is what it is”. However, that doesn’t mean that fighters haven’t been all too happy with it. One half of the co-main event, the UFC bantamweight champion Amanda Nunes already voiced her thoughts on the matter and her opponent Cris Cyborg has continued to do the same.
I relied on the @ufc representing #ufc232 as taking place in Vegas to secure paid personal appearances, book travel and accommodations for my family and team only to lose out on that fight revenge. I’m hopeful my management @ParadigmSM is able to reach a solution https://t.co/wYKUroevHd
“I relied on the @ufc representing #ufc232 as taking place in Vegas to secure paid personal appearances, book travel and accommodations for my family and team only to lose out on that fight revenge. I’m hopeful my management @ParadigmSM is able to reach a solution” Cyborg tweeted.
Fellow featherweight on the card Megan Anderson, who has the same management team as Cyborg, also shared her thoughts when speaking with ESPN.
“It is a bit of a bummer going from a state with no tax to a state that does have significant tax,” Anderson said. “I’ve fought in California before and it does take a significant chunk out of that paycheck. And on top of paying coaches, management, all that kind of stuff it does start to add up but what can I do? It is what it is.”
UFC 232 takes place on Saturday night live from the Inglewood Forum.
