Dana White is having a tough time of late.
Looking at the scheduled UFC cards for 2017, there’s one thing that’s very prevalent. Like a smog-filled city sky at night, there’s a distinct lack of stars.
By far the biggest fight that has been confirmed this year is the middleweight title bout between champion Michael Bisping and arguably the greatest fighter to ever grace an Octagon, Georges St-Pierre. However, even that PPV smasher doesn’t even have a home yet with no date or location confirmed.
Ronda Rousey’s future is in doubt following her devastating back-to-back knockout losses, while Jon Jones’ penchant for fucking up means you can’t really rely on him. Cyborg is still an unknown quantity in the PPV department and CM Punk is, well, CM Punk.
So all that’s left to put meat in the seat and make those earth-shattering PPVs is Conor McGregor, and, to a lesser extent, Nate Diaz.
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The problem with McGregor is that he broke the mould and now everyone’s trying to follow suit. He has never defended a belt in his career and every since he became a UFC champion, he has been chasing the money fights, rather than the fights that actually make sense.
You can’t argue with the results. Three PPV smash hits against Diaz (twice) and Eddie Alvarez respectively show that his system works. Now he appears to be on the cusp of what promises to be the biggest payday of his career so far, a crossover mega-fight against Floyd Mayweather.
But if every champion were to pester the promotion to give them fights that don’t make much sense, there would be out-and-out chaos. Especially if the champ has no evidence backing up their claim that it would even be a money fight, as Dana White explained in a passionate rant speaking to media in Las Vegas on Friday.
“Everybody listen, I’m getting tired of the term ‘money fights,’ ok? ‘I want the money-fights! I want the money fights!’ What, are you all going to move down and fight Conor?”
“There’s no bones about it, Conor is the guy. Conor brings in big gates, big pay-per-view numbers and everything else… shut up, if you don’t. If you’re not him, shut up! Ok?”
White has a simple message to every fighter not named ‘Conor McGregor’ who is calling for money fights – go out there and prove you deserve it. Holding the belt isn’t enough, you have to be a draw too.
“Guys are talking about money fights, I’m like ‘You’re not a money fight!’ Ok? You’re not a money fight! You’re going to make whatever you’re going to make and if you’re a good champion and your fight sells, you’re going to do pay-per-views and you’re a partner in the pay-per-view.”
“If you’re not that big pay-per-view star, shut up and fight!”
