As chatter about the UFC’s pay structure heated up in recent weeks, UFC president Dana White threatened to abolish the the company’s nightly fight card bonuses.
But on Tuesday, White said such changes are off the table. During a media teleconference to promote the July 27 UFC on FOX 8 card in Seattle, White said the company got plenty of feedback from the fighters in favor of keeping the current system.
“At the last press conference, I talked to the press I told them we’re not doing away with the fight of the night bonuses,” White said. “After I said that, I got a lot of feedback from the fighters. The fighters want the finish bonuses. They want the finish bonuses and they want the discretionary bonuses to stay the same, so, that’s that.”
The nightly bonuses system offers fighters considerable incentive to go out and earn awards for best fight, knockout, and submission of each fight card. The bonuses are currently set at $50,000 but have gone as high as $129,000 in the past.
While White didn’t specify which fighters spoke with him about the issue, at least one competitor on the call is clearly on board with the idea. Jake Ellenberger, who fights Rory MacDonald in Seattle, punctuated White’s response with a one-word answer: “Preach!”