Dana White Has Unfiltered Response to Heckler Hijacking UFC 334 Presser Over Fighter Pay
When a New York fan yelled at Dana White to pay his fighters during Thursday's UFC 334 press conference, the UFC boss had a blunt two-word reply.
Since merging under TKO Group Holdings in September 2023, the UFC has grown into one of the most profitable businesses in global sports. Annual revenue climbed steadily from $1.292 billion in 2023 to $1.406 billion in 2024, before reaching $1.502 billion in 2025. This continuous surge was fueled even further by its seven-year, $7.7 billion Paramount+ broadcast deal.
Despite those record numbers, critics routinely accuse the promotion of underpaying its fighters. That familiar argument took a hilarious turn during Thursday's UFC 334 pre-fight press conference in New York, where an MMA fan in the crowd disrupted Dana White over fighter pay. But the way the UFC boss shut that person down made the room burst into laughter.
Dana White Shuts Down Fan Over Fighter Pay With Simple Two-Word Response
The moment unfolded while White stood at the podium during the presser at Madison Square Garden, right in front of the promotional backdrop for Saturday's two title fights between Ciryl Gane and Josh Hokit, and Kayla Harrison and Amanda Nunes.
Midway through the session, White was answering a reporter's question about Hokit's rise to title contention. Suddenly, a loud voice from the crowd hijacked the moment by shifting the focus to fighter compensation, yelling, "Dana, pay your fighters!"
White did not stop to argue the point or offer a long explanation. Instead, the UFC CEO stared toward the crowd and delivered a blunt two-word reply: "Shut up."
Gane, sitting to White's right, stayed calm, while Hokit laughed and clapped his hands from the other side of the stage after the exchange.
That viral exchange capped off a wild afternoon in New York. Earlier in the event, Hokit walked on stage in goggles, a neck pad, and a protective cup to mock Gane's history of accidental fouls. He then delivered Conor McGregor-style trash talk on the mic, turning the entire presser into a chaotic show.
UFC Fighter Pay Debate Stays Loud Despite $7.7 Billion Paramount Deal
UFC fighters have historically received about 16 to 20 percent of company revenue, compared with 48 to 50 percent for NFL and NBA players. Several top stars have criticized that gap in 2026, including middleweight champion Sean Strickland, whose title defense against Nassourdine Imavov stalled last month after he called the UFC’s offer “insulting.”
"Tarzan" even highlighted Conor McGregor’s reported $30 million for UFC 329 and Conor Benn’s reported $15 million Zuffa Boxing deal. Sean O’Malley raised the same boxing comparison in February after Benn’s contract surfaced, noting that despite building his name in the UFC, he still does not make $15 million a fight. Ronda Rousey and Jon Jones have also fueled pay debates this year.
Saturday's UFC 334 main card brings that exact gap back into the spotlight. While the UFC does not release official purses, salary tracker UFCalendar estimates Gane will earn roughly $718,000 just to show up. Hokit, meanwhile, is projected at $181,000 to show and $181,000 to win, meaning even a title upset would only bring his fight purse to $362,000.
Those numbers still fall far short of what top boxers make. Whether the UFC raises base salaries remains to be seen. So far, the promotion has only doubled post-fight bonuses from $50,000 to $100,000, leaving fighters waiting to see if base pay will ever rise.
