by Dominic Thomas
The Ultimate Fighting Championship is an American fighting organization that promotes high exiting fights between Americans, Russians, Brazilians, and more. However, despite being the biggest MMA company globally, it has faced many numerous controversies over its business practices and treatment of fighters. These issues have been a persistent point of contention among fans, fighters, and analysts alike. Fighters receive only 16-20% of the UFC’s revenue, far lower than athletes in Boxing, NBA, and NFL where athletes are only paid 50%. Entry-level fighters often earn $12,000 with an additional $12,000 as a win bonus after expenses such as training, fees, and medical costs. Fighters such as Jorge Masvidal, Francis Ngannou, and Nate Diaz have openly criticized the UFC’s pay structure, which has resulted in them being cut or silenced by UFC president Dana White.
Fighters receive only 16-20% of the UFC’s revenue, far lower than athletes in Boxing, NBA, and the NFL, where athletes are only paid 50%. Entry-level fighters often earn $12,000 with an additional $12,000 as a win bonus after expenses such as training, fees, and medical costs. Fighters such as Jorge Masvidal, Francis Ngannou, and Nate Diaz have openly criticized the UFC’s pay structure which has resulted in them being cut or silenced by the president Dana White or the UFC themselves. As I have done my research on this organization and as a fan of it, I agree that the UFC should pay their fighters more since they are a billion-dollar company, but no one knows where they keep the rest of their money.
Dana White, the UFC’s president, has been a polarizing figure in and out of the organization. White has been criticizing fighters for speaking out against the UFC. For example, he has shown favoritism for fighters such as Conor McGregor and Rhonda Rousey calling them “great people” while calling Francis Ngannou a coward because he wanted higher pay and said, “Francis doesn’t want to fight the best, He doesn’t want to take the risks”.
In January of 2023, Dana was caught on video slapping his wife during a party in a nightclub. While he has since apologized, many critics and fans accuse the company of having double standards since any other fighter would’ve been suspended or fined, but Dana got away with his action scot-free.
Former Featherweight and Lightweight champion and UFC megastar Conor McGregor has been known for his antics from trash talk, fight crossovers, and his public antics such as the infamous bus incident in 2018 when he tried to attack Khabib Nurmagomedov for slapping his former best friend Artem Lobov and then proceeded to throw a dolly at the bus window but only injured fighter Micheal Chiesa, who got a piece of glass in his forehead. McGregor was arrested for this incident but did not face jail time nor any legal action.
McGregor and Khabib would finally face the UFC’s most famous event UFC 229, where Khabib submitted the superstar and jumped out of the octagon to beat up Dillon Danis, McGregor was also known for making fun of Khabib’s religion, father Abdulmanap calling the late coach a coward, and Khabib in general. After this event, Conor returned to the UFC three times to face Dustin Poirier, which in both bouts he lost due to a TKO (technical knockout) and the last fight he lost via doctor stoppage after his ankle broke. Conor has not yet returned to the UFC but has claimed numerous times he will come back but as seen on his Instagram he isn’t doing any training and is only seen promoting his Irish whiskey.
Another well-known incident between fans took it as far into the outside world when welterweight fighter Colby Covington and his former roommate and best friend Jorge Masvidal where the two friends threw down in UFC 272, where Covington dominated Masvidal over five rounds securing a unanimous decision victory. After the fight, Colby continued to mock and brag about his victory giving Masvidal the nickname “Street Judas.” Two weeks later after the fight, when Covington was outside of the popular Miami restaurant Papi Steak, Masvidal approached Covington wearing a hoodie and a mask and Jorge sucker-punched Covington twice. Masvidal was arrested and charged with battery felony and criminal mischief. Jon Jones has been dubbed “The Greatest Mixed Martial Artist of All Time” but he’s had numerous run-ins with the law getting a DUI Arrest in 2012, a Hit-And-Run where he injured a pregnant woman, Probation Violation, Battery, DWI and firearms, Domestic Violence, and many other crimes in and outside of the UFC.
In my humble opinion, the UFC is a phenomenal organization filled with talent no one else has seen. However, if the company keeps hiring people like Conor McGregor, Jon Jones, and others, its reputation could sour and might go back on a downward spiral to where it was in the late 1999s and the early 2000s. As of 2025, the UFC is one of the biggest MMA organizations in the world, but its reputation could fall from its inside problems and from its fighter’s political views. As for the fighters, as great fan of Conor McGregor, I think the UFC should find a new person that could potentially become or outdo McGregor, and I think it would be best if they changed their image to become a better organization in the future.
