"Here's 250k Nelk Boys" - Sean Strickland's brutal honesty backfires on Dana White as he openly criticizes UFC's fighter pay structure
Sean Strickland has reignited the debate on fighter compensation with a series of social media posts criticizing the promotion's pay structure.
Strickland, known for his outspoken personality, took to social media to comment on the upcoming remake of the movie 'Road House,' which features a washed-up Jake Gyllenhaal as a UFC fighter working as a bouncer. His initial post hinted at the film's accuracy, suggesting a similar fate awaits most UFC fighters.
"Road house 2 is the most accurate story ever......UFC fighter to broke bouncer... 90 percent of the current rosters future lol"
A fan chimed in, highlighting the apparent disparity between fighter compensation and the UFC's spending on non-fighters, referencing an instance where UFC CEO Dana White reportedly gifted $250,000 in cash to social media personality Kyle Forgeard of the Nelk Boys.
"Dana's too busy throwing wads of cash at the Nelk boys"
Strickland's response, however, contained a surprising about-face. While acknowledging the fan's point with a sarcastic response:
"Lmao! So true.. "here's 250k nelk boys" "Would you like to get signed? How does 12-12 sound. Can't go a dollar more" This isn't the UFC or Dana's fault. We're grown ass men and we chose this path. It's just good to be open about how soul sucking this sport is for most."
Check out Sean Strickland's post below:
Is Sean Strickland right? Dana White's ongoing argument against fighter pay criticism
The debate surrounding fighter pay in the UFC continues, with fighters like Francis Ngannou and Jon Jones advocating for a larger slice of the organization's revenue. However, UFC CEO Dana White's defense of the current system remains firm.
Critics argue that UFC fighters deserve a fairer share of the profits generated by their performances. They point out that fighters risk their health and well-being in the octagon while the organization reaps significant financial rewards.
White, however, maintains that the UFC's existing performance-based pay model adequately incentivizes fighters. He believes that guaranteeing high salaries would be counterproductive, potentially leading to less exciting fights and reduced fighter motivation.
To support his stance, White highlights the successful career of veteran UFC fighter Jim Miller. Nearing 40 years old, Miller has built a multi-million dollar career within the organization, according to White.
"We got a guy right now who's 40 years old, and he's on this hot streak, man. He's been around forever... He's been around since we bought this company, and he's still fighting... He's going to fight on UFC 300. And this is a guy who's been, you know, I guess you could call him a journeyman in boxing, right? If you ask most people, they wouldn't know who Jim Miller is, and the guy's made millions of dollars."
Check out Dana White's comments below (01:03):