Power Slap pay: Dana White introduces performance bonuses, announces the first winners
Following the conclusion of yesterday's Power Slap 2 event at the UFC Apex, Dana White announced that the Power Slap League contestants would be awarded performance bonuses and named the league's first bonus winners.
The slap-fighting league's second major event featured three championship fights and nine bouts on the main card. While the middleweight and lightweight champions retained their titles, the league saw a new heavyweight champion crowned.
At the post-fight press conference, UFC president Dana White introduced bonuses like the UFC's bonus prizes. He stated:
"We actually have performance bonuses now. So I'll tell you the performance bonus winners."
The UFC frontman then named the fighters who won an extra $10,000 for their performance.
Amir Nuriddeen and Austin Turpin took home the bonus prize among the undercard fighters. Welterweight Waylon Frost, light heavyweight Alan Klingbeil, and super heavyweight Dayne Viernes also won the cash prize for their impressive showing. After reading the list of bonus winners, White added:
"Amir Nuriddeen, Austin Turpin, Waylon Frost and Alan Klingbeil. All those guys won $10,000, so congrats to them."
Watch the full post-fight press conference below:
The second Power Slap event wasn't without controversy. The light heavyweight title fight saw Ayjay Hintz retain his title even after getting knocked down due to his opponent Russel Rivero committing a stepping foul. Since Hintz could not continue, Rivero was disqualified, and the former retained his belt.
Elsewhere on the card, Damien Dibbell was crowned the new heavyweight champion after defeating Wolverine via decision.
Power Slap League bonus: Dana White reveals an increase in fighter pay for slap-fighting contestants
Dana White recently announced that Power Slap contestants will be earning a higher salary going forward and have already received more money for Power Slap's second season.
At the UFC Vegas 73 post-fight press conference, White spoke to the media and addressed the issue of fighter pay. Claiming that things will be drastically different in the next couple of years, he stated:
"There's already a bump up in pay. That's already changed. The first season, I told you guys, me and the Fertitta's funded the first season. We're good now, we're in a really good spot, and everything's going to change in the next couple of years for this thing."
Dana White says there is already a bump up in pay for the next season of Power Slap. https://t.co/JeB64h46ut
Dana White had previously faced intense criticism online after reports of underpaid slap fighters emerged. This was in addition to concerns regarding the league's dangerous ruleset, putting the contestants' physical and mental health at lethal risk.
Earlier this year, UFC veteran Eric Spicely revealed that he was offered a meager $2000/$2000 to participate in the league with a maximum income of $10,000 possible.
UFC veteran Eric Spicely said he was contacted to see if he’d like to participate in the Power Slap League. Not sure what the full pay scale is, but this nugget caught my attention: https://t.co/Qlej95KmJs