‘What the hell are we doing here Dana?’: Sean O’Malley hits out at head honcho White after UFC’s pay-per-view price hike, with American fans having to fork out $74.99 to tune in
- UFC announced price rise for pay-per-view cards will cost fans five dollars more
- Despite difficult economic times for many, the organisation have upped prices
- Rising star Sean O’Malley has criticised Dana White for the decision
- He is not optimistic that the increase will mean that fighter pay goes up too
Sean O’Malley has hit out at Dana White and the UFC for stinging American fans with a price rise on pay-per-view cards.
The rising star, 27, was reacting to news that the organisation are putting the cost up by five dollars to $74.99, starting with Francis Ngannou vs Ciryl Gane on January 22.
On The BroMalley Show, he said: ‘Dana White raises pay-per-view by five dollars, what the hell are we doing here, Dana?’
Sean O’Malley has criticised his paymasters for putting up the price of pay-per-view cards
Conor McGregor’s fights with Dustin Poirier in 2021 were the best-selling events
And when asked whether he thinks the increase in cost for fans will equate to better pay for the fighters themselves, the bantamweight was sceptical.
‘I doubt it’ he went on. ‘But, could be. It is just so easy to stream it illegally. Not talking from experience, but just saying it.
‘Whoever is in control of legal streams at the UFC, they need someone that is good enough at hacking (them) right before the main event starts.
‘Every single time that they just shut it right before the good stuff.’
It remains to be seen whether UK fans will be impacted as most UFC events are available with a BT Sport subscription.
UFC president Dana White has seen the organisation go from strength to strength
Occasionally the broadcaster will put an event behind a paywall, usually when Conor McGregor fights, so time will tell if fans will have to pay more than the usual £19.95.
The move comes after a record-breaking year of profits for the UFC’s parent company, Endeavor.
Ari Emanuel said in the third quarter that it was the ‘best nine-month, year-to-date period in the their history.
The importance of McGregor, who has only won one fight in six years, was underlined again in 2021 as he accounted for 38 per cent of UFC pay-per-view buys over two fights with Dustin Poirier.
O’Malley is doubtful that the increase in pay-per-view prices will trickle down to fighters
McGregor’s rematch with ‘Diamond’ resulted in 1.6million buys and their trilogy, in which the Irishman broke his leg, attracted 1.5m.
Those were the two best selling cards with Israel Adesanya’s move up to light-heavyweight for a title shot coming in at third (800,000 buys).
Kamaru Usman vs Jorge Masvidal and Usman vs Colby Covington were tied for fourth and fifth with 700,000 sold.
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