Several MMA fans have turned on Dana White following news of Jack Della Maddalena’s fundraising.
Maddalena is fighting for the welterweight title at UFC 315 on May 10 against current champion Belal Muhammad in Montreal, Canada.
The 28-year-old Australian was originally scheduled to fight Leon Edwards at UFC London this month, but stepped up to the title fight after No.1 contender Shavkat Rakhmonov was ruled out.
Maddalena is undefeated in eight UFC bouts, and his fight with Muhammad is the biggest test of his career since debuting with the promotion in January 2022.
Although Maddalena has never fought for a UFC title before, it has been his action outside of the Octagon that have sparked the most attention from the MMA community in the build up to UFC 315.
A social media post last week from a bar based in Western Australia revealed Maddalena and his team had begun raising money for the fight.
This prompted a big reaction from MMA fans around the world, with many confused as to why a UFC fighter, especially one battling for a title, needs to pay for their team to reach the fight.
One took to X and said: “This is just said, it’s literally a title fight and the UFC won’t pay.”
While another wrote: “The fact he’s at a point where he’s fighting for a title and is having to do this is beyond ridiculous…”
A third added: “[Dana White], are you not embarrassed? Look how you treat the 170 division now that [Kamaru] Usman, Leon [Edwards] and Colby [Covington] are on losing streaks.”
And a fourth said: “Love Jack but the UFC should be paying for your whole team to go to Montreal and plus some? You’re fighting for the title!?!”
Others did side with UFC President White, claiming Maddalena doesn’t deserve ‘special treatment’ over other fighters.
“I don’t know if I side with JDM on this,” one wrote. “He’s not running his business well if this is what he’s going through. He’s not special or deserves special treatment over the rest.
Maddalena joined forces with The Riverton Bar and Grill in Western Australia to host a fundraiser for his team.
The event was set to take place on April 14, less than one month until the Australian flies to Canada for his title fight.
Fans could buy tickets for a meal, photos, signed posters, and Q&A’s with coaches and UFC stars.
All ticket profits were stated as going ‘towards getting the full team out to Montreal to support Jack on his mission for UFC gold.’
The bar’s Facebook post also claimed: “Believe it or not the UFC do not pay for anyone or anything but six nights accommodations and flights for two.”
Although this is yet to be provable, and the fundraiser has since been postponed, Maddalena’s issues highlight a common debate among the MMA world regarding fighter pay.
Boxing promoter Eddie Hearn has previously said UFC fighters are underpaid, but White has also insisted that his fighter pay will never change.
There is some sort of an issue though when one of the promotion’s biggest stars can’t even afford to pay for his team to make a fight.
However, it’s not exactly cheap to get there either.
An economy return ticket from Perth to Montreal around fight week in May ranges from £1,000 to £6,000, with the fastest flight times just shy of 27 hours.
Realistically, Maddalena would be paying the upper limit of that amount per person, meaning he could theoretically spend over £36,000 for a team of six people to get there and back on just flights alone.
All tickets that have been purchased for Maddalena’s fundraiser have now been refunded with it taking place after the fight due to the former’s training commitments.
So maybe White and the UFC took notice of the ongoing debate and decided to pay up.
