Former UFC Champ Says $15M Conor Benn Deal Is Dana White Flex, Not Truthful Pay. UFC flyweight king Demetrious Johnson has referred to as out Dana White for what he frames as a $15 million “flex” on boxing, not a sustainable funding in fight‑sports activities expertise. Johnson’s feedback comply with studies that Conor Benn signed a one‑battle take care of Zuffa Boxing value $15 million for his debut underneath the UFC president’s new boxing enterprise. The quantity instantly drew disbelief from high MMA fighters, however Johnson is utilizing it to focus on a deeper structural imbalance between how boxing and MMA fighters are paid.
Former UFC Champ Says $15M Conor Benn Deal Is Dana White Flex, Not Truthful Pay
Johnson opened his critique by stressing the size of Benn’s payout: a single battle valued at $15 million underneath Zuffa Boxing’s banner. He stated that, in his view, the deal appears much less like an extended‑time period expertise wager and extra like a public assertion from Dana White. “Actually, I’m not going to deceive you guys. I really imagine it’s a flex transfer by Dana White,” Johnson stated, referencing White’s latest feedback about boxing promoters being like “preventing infants.” Johnson questioned whether or not the $15 million would translate into lengthy‑time period worth for Zuffa, given the promotion’s present viewership profile.
“Actually, I’m not going to deceive you guys. I really imagine it’s a flex transfer by Dana White. Like he stated, should you’ve been following the headlines of him going to battle with all of the boxer promoters, he stated it’s like preventing infants, and I quote, ‘Preventing infants.’ And you recognize, $15 million for one battle. It’s loopy.”
On the UFC aspect, Johnson argued that few fighters have ever approached that single‑battle determine. He estimated that solely a handful of UFC bouts in historical past have reached wherever close to $15 million in disclosed pay, naming Jon Jones and Conor McGregor as the obvious examples. Even then, he identified that the actually enormous numbers typically come from pay‑per‑view factors or lengthy‑time period licensing offers, not a one‑time roster assure. Towards that backdrop, seeing Benn – a strong welterweight however not a world champion or pound‑for‑pound elite – land a $15 million one‑battle deal felt “tough” to Johnson.
“If you consider what number of occasions a UFC fighter has been paid that for one battle, you’d most likely should rely it in your arms. It’s solely occurred perhaps 5 occasions in UFC historical past. In all probability solely Conor McGregor and a pair others—Jon Jones, that sort of stuff.”
The structural distinction Johnson returns to is freedom of motion. In boxing, fighters can store multi‑promoter gives underneath frameworks just like the Muhammad Ali Act, which lets them solicit aggressive bids for particular fights. That’s the reason he highlighted that Matchroom had the contractual proper to match Benn’s $15 million provide – however reportedly selected to not. In MMA, in contrast, most high fighters are locked into unique contracts with one promotion, with no actual parallel system to push salaries by means of open bidding. Johnson underlined that if he got here out of retirement, he couldn’t shift a profitable UFC‑grade provide to a different league, as his contract would bind him to ONE Championship.
One other key level is transparency. Johnson famous that when Benn’s $15 million determine hit the press, it was repeated broadly and seemingly with White’s approval. Against this, UFC fighter pay virtually by no means seems in public paperwork or official statements. He prompt that opacity advantages the group by stopping fighters from evaluating numbers and negotiating up collectively. “Why is it that the second Connor Benn signed that contract, Dana White beloved that everybody noticed that quantity?” Johnson requested, contrasting that with UFC offers the place even star‑degree earnings keep hidden.
Johnson additionally tied the Benn deal to wider UFC‑pay complaints tied to the Paramount+ mannequin. He referenced fighters corresponding to Justin Gaethje, who has publicly mentioned turning down contract phrases that might have slashed his anticipated pay in contrast with the pay‑per‑view period. Gaethje and others have prompt that top‑viewership Paramount+ playing cards may translate into way more income in the event that they have been structured like conventional PPV, however that construction now not exists. Johnson argued that Dana White can afford symbolic $15 million splashes in boxing as a result of the UFC and WWE – each underneath TKO Group Holdings – generate large money move.
“Ain’t no person making $15 million for one battle within the UFC. I feel the closest you’ve bought is Jon Jones, when he requested for 30 million to battle Tom Aspinall and so they have been going to pay it. However he was like, ‘Nah, I’m not doing it.’ Conor McGregor, too. Possibly Anderson Silva again within the day without work pay‑per‑view factors, however that was a very long time in the past. And nonetheless, none of these guys are on the $15‑million‑for‑one‑battle quantity.”
Finally, Johnson sees the Benn payday as a flex towards boxing promoters and, not directly, UFC fighters. He contrasted Benn with UFC champions corresponding to Islam Makhachev, Alex Pereira and different high attracts who transfer the needle for the promotion however should not believed to earn $15 million per battle. Benn’s one‑battle deal, he stated, appears like a strategy to present boxing promoters what TKO’s monetary muscle can do whereas doing comparatively little to lift the ceiling for UFC athletes. Nonetheless, Johnson acknowledged that Zuffa Boxing may develop into an actual menace if White leverages the UFC’s star‑making infrastructure throughout boxing, however he stays skeptical that $15 million for one welterweight bout is an indication of sustainable change.
“If Dana desires to flex in boxing, tremendous. However should you’re keen to throw $15 million at a boxer, why not the UFC guys who’re those really constructing the model?”
