"I don’t love when prices get raised" - Dana White revealed that he doesn't approve of ESPN hiking the price of UFC PPVs earlier in the year
In an interview with MMA Junkie back in January of this year, Dana White admitted that he is not a fan of ESPN increasing the pay-per-view price. The price for American fans has gone up from $69.99 to $74.99, with similar increases in Australia, Canada and various other countries.
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Although the pay-per-view price was increased by $5 only one year ago, that didn't deter ESPN from increasing again. The UFC and Dana White handed over the pay-per-view reigns to ESPN back in 2019 when the broadcasting deal was signed. Since then, ESPN has increased the price several times, much to White's disapproval.
Dana White said the following to MMA Junkie:
"We don't have any say in that. We gave the pay-per-views to ESPN, so yeah, that's their decision. You know how I feel about that stuff. I don't love when prices get raised, but it's not my decision. It's theirs."
Dana White and Nate Diaz verbally sparring over scheduling of fight
Nate Diaz has one fight left on his current UFC contract. However, it has been quite a struggle for the Stockton native to arrange his swan song with the promotion.
Diaz and White have been going back and forth in their respective interviews, with both men giving their perception on the situation.
In an interview with Oscar Willis of The Mac Life three weeks ago, White said that dealing with Diaz is always "fun" and "interesting." The UFC president still recognizes the need to honor the standing contract and give Diaz one last fight, despite his reluctance.
"I like Nate. But let's be honest, Nate's won one fight in the last five or six years."
Watch the interview below:
More recently, Nate Diaz was interviewed by Ariel Helwani on The MMA Hour. Diaz's demeanor throughout the interview suggested that White and the UFC had pushed him to the brink. Claiming to be trapped within his UFC contract, Diaz will take any fight at this point just to see the exit door.
I asked for Luque, I asked for Tony Ferguson, I ask for like four or five people."
Watch the interview below:
White and the Diaz brothers have had a tempestuous relationship—verbal blows have been delt by both sides. Despite the frosty nature of the dealings between White and the Stocktonians, Diaz has done too much for the UFC to simply fade away.