"A lot of those situations where you don't understand the guy" - Kamaru Usman reveals issues plaguing UFC fighters that made him dislike Dana White "for a long time"
UFC welterweight champion Kamaru Usman has revealed why many fighters, including himself, did not take up too well with UFC President Dana White.
In Episode 45 of I Am Athlete, Usman explained how his relationship with White has evolved over the years, with fighters calling for higher payouts from fights. He said:
"Of course, there's a lot of issues, just like the issues we're raising now. There's a lot of those situations where you don't understand the guy, you're just trying to get there. But, of course, you're unhappy by the time you get there. You fight, here's your money. I got to a point where I realized you have to sit down with this man and actually understand the game for what it is because this is a partnership now."
White has been criticized in the past for underpaying fighters in comparison to sports like boxing. The 53-year-old has admitted that it is better to incentivize fighters instead of increased salaries, so that they continue to be hungry to perform.
Watch Kamaru Usman discuss the fighter pay issue below:
Dana White explains why he prefers performance bonuses
White explained why he introduced incentive-based bonuses in the UFC as opposed to higher pay. In his lecture at Stanford University back in 2013, White stressed on why he prefers an incentive-based structure, saying:
"We incentivize guys to fight. You're going to get money to show, and you get money to win, and then you get money for the best fight of the night, you get money for the best knockout, money for the best submission. You're incentivized no different than any other business in the world. Show up at your job and have a half-*ssed day see how that goes."
With the UFC skyrocketing in terms of sponsorships and revenue at present, the fighter-pay dispute continues to be a hotly debated topic in the organization. The likes of Francis Ngannou and Jake Paul have hit out at White, claiming that fighters are highly underpaid in the UFC.
With the UFC boasting some of the biggest names around the MMA circuit, Dana White will surely be wary of the contractual demands of the fighters who have taken the sport to new heights in recent years.
Watch Dana White talk to Pat McAfee below: