Dana White Says Raising UFC Fighters' Pay is 'Never Gonna Happen While I'm Here'

UFC fighters make a pittance compared to the promotion's revenue, and Dana White has no intentions of changing that.

The UFC president did not want to be called on to raise fighter purses.

White said that fighters always wanted to make more money. Money and everything else has destroyed boxing. I will never be able to do it while I'm here. These men get paid what they are supposed to get paid. What they kill is what they eat. The fighters get a percentage of the pay-per-view buys.

Go start your own MMA organization if you don't like it. There is no obstacle to entry. Don't allow yourself to be knocked out. Whatever you want to pay, pay it. This has been done before. How did it work out for other men? It's not well. Don't forget your business.

Fighters have historically been paid 20% of the company's revenue. Athletes in other sports leagues are much more similar to that. NHL players make between 48 and 50 percent of their sport's revenue. The Major League Baseball system tends to be in a similar percentage range.

The UFC pay scale is similar to that of the World Wrestling Entertainment, which has been accused of low-balling its employees.

There is a major difference between the four major men's professional sports leagues and the UFC and World Wrestling Entertainment. UFC and WWE fighters are not unionized and there is no overarching body to make sure they are paid correctly.

Jake Paul, who has had a contentious relationship with White, has criticized UFC for its pay scale of fighters and proposed starting a union.

Paul wants to create a fighters union. I want to leave a stamp on the sport of MMA and boxing. I don't be beholden to anyone. Many UFC fighters are dependent on Dana White. They can't speak against him. I use my platform because I am one of the few who can. I'll speak the truth. I am just doing my job as a fighter and as a person who cares about other fighters.