Dana White may not be convinced that increased performance bonuses for events actually increases performance. UFC 304 had the UFC return to England for a sold-out event but White did not seem to be impressed with how the main event played out and the lack of finishes on the card. Nor was he a fan of the bonus increase trend that seems to happen at pre-fight press conferences.
Belal Muhammad won the welterweight title from Leon Edwards in the main event via unanimous decision. In the post-fight press conference, when asked his thoughts on the main event White said, “It wasn’t a barn burner.” Then he was asked if increased bonuses should stick for future events, White said that UFC 304 proved that they should not.
White said, “ I think tonight showed that we should not be upping them, it doesn’t change anything. It doesn’t make anybody fight any harder, it doesn’t change anything. I’m not doing this again, ever. Today was the last day that I’m doing that.”
UFC 304 had 14 bouts on the card and nine of them went to a decision. Performance bonuses usually go towards finishes and fights that feature a pace that fans can barely keep up with. Fighters fighting at 3 AM local time might have had something to do with the lack of finishes at UFC 304 but White felt that shouldn’t matter on fight night.
Fighters that did earn performance bonuses for UFC 304 were; Tom Aspinall, Paddy Pimblett, and Mick Parkin. Aspinall and Parkin received $100k, and Pimblett received $200k.
White added, “I’m not saying that in the future the bonuses couldn’t get upped” but he won’t let fighters, media, or fanfare at pre-fight press conferences sway him into doing increased bonuses again. “Never again. So, you can thank everybody on this card for that.”
Check out Dana White’s complete post-event press conference here:
