Media Dana White Has Been Failing to Understand Motivation Since AT LEAST 2013, BUT...

[GrantB13]

It makes some sense. Money changes a lot of people. Rockstars lose their aggression because it's hard to keep the fire that drove their intensity when they have millions. Fighters don't have the grit once they start getting paid a lot. They might become point fighters and develop a blunted killer instinct. But they shouldn't be making peanuts either.

 

[HHJ]

Boxing legend Marvin Hagler once said “It's hard to get out of bed in the morning to go for a run when you're sleeping in silk sheets”. The sentiment being, of course, that once a fighter is on top of his sport and has made his money, they no longer have the drive or passion to put in the work required to stay there.

 

[Pboxingfan123]

This is so terrible for the sport. This leadership is absolutely awful for attracting young athletes into your sport.

 

[Pboxingfan123]

Floyd Mayweather is by far the richest fighter in recorded history and it is not even close and he stayed more disciplined and motivated than any fighter I have ever seen before. Floyd Mayweather went undefeated in his 21 year career and holds the all time record for most money ever made by an athlete in one year making $300 million dollars in 2015. Mayweather was the highest paid athlete for the decade 2010-2020.

Canelo Alvarez is the highest paid fighter in the world in 2021-2022 and is the most dedicated fighter that you will find!

 

[HHJ]

A difference could be that in their sports, that kind of money is *guaranteed* if you make it to the top. The pay-structure is comparatively streamlined. In MMA, paychecks is a constant hustle. You constantly have to badger, negotiate, and pressure your boss to see more money. Its a very dirty buisness. That sort of buisness breeds a very cynical mindset.

Sure Floyd had his scuffles about dollars. But that was about if he was going to make 40$ or 50$ million. Either way he was still going to be filthy stinking rich. Meanwhile, someone like Do Bronx still doesn't consider himself wealthy.

Threat your employers badly, and they're going to threat your sport badly in return using whatever leverage they have. And in MMA...the only leverage fighters have is NOT fighting.

Good point. Floyd's money is guaranteed win or lose.

Also he has alot of power in these negotiations. He cannot be made to do anything. If a sanctioning body has a problem with it,they can strip him,he doesnt give a shit. He can also pick WHEN he fights the top guys. Imagine if he'd fought Manny 5 yrs earlier? The amount of power and influence Floyd and Manny and Canelo have over their careers,I dont think anyone in MMA has,not even Conor.

 

[RockyLockridge]

Of course someone making 30 million will be difficult to deal with,difficult to make him fight. They wont want to or have to at that point

Well I think that's the distinction op is missing, he's naming all these athletes that don't get punched in the face, (floyd included)

 

[HHJ]

Well I think that's the distinction op is missing, he's naming all these athletes that don't get punched in the face, (floyd included)

People really need to stop comparing fighting to other sports.

 

[RockyLockridge]

People really need to stop comparing fighting to other sports.

You dont play Mixed martial arts or boxing. The rest of those are legitimately games that children can play, It's a silly question to ask why someone with millions of dollars would want to play golf or tennis. those games are supported in the life of a millionaire, If you're getting bust up and hurting your body for money your wife and kids will want you to stop. Even if you were a multimillionaire i doubt your wife would want to stop you from getting tennis lessons.

It's not a game, It's NEVER worth comparing.

 

[Captain Insano]

Totally agree with Dana.

I'm gonna steal boxing's phrase:You can't play MMA.

So don't compare it to Lebron the flopper.

 

[Jarvan]

This is pretty radical - a guy that earns around $20 million a year, and is (probably legitimately) one of the hardest working CEO's around, tells Stanford University students that any fighter that earns $37 million (not sure what that number is in reference to) will suddenly stop chasing their dreams, lose their competitive drive, and cease seeking to create a legacy.

This is such a bizarre argument in a world in which Lionel Messi, Dak Prescott, LeBron James, Roger Federer, Floyd Mayweather, and Lewis Hamilton all somehow manage to give a shit about what they're doing despite earning WAY in excess of the figures Dana is/has/will talk about in relation to MMA.

So if the rule isn't true for soccer, basketball, American football, tennis, boxing OR motor racing, what exactly is Dana basing this bullshit on? Not even his own life as a hardened promoter who would probably die for his job, given how much of his life he's dedicated to it, alludes to this idea that everybody would just suddenly not bother wanting to earn more because they've earned a certain amount of money.

Does it stop billionaires working? Look, we don't need to go down this pathway to understand that Dana is talking complete nonsense.

BUT HERE'S THE RUB...

The second an MMA fighter started topping these lists, he literally did go off the rails, lose all dedication, embark upon a losing streak, and generally prove Dana White right.

I'm talking of course about Conor McGregor.

Conor McGregor, sadly, is the poster boy for Dana White's argument. But then, every sport has kids that lose focus the second they earn enough money to not give a shit. That's okay, that's collateral damage. But the argument that you should keep pay low to keep your dogs hungry?

Utterly stupid.

Agree? Disagree?

Think you've completely missed the point

Laying out 37 mil on someone's lap, compared to working your way up to 37 mill guaranteed is completely different

I don't know how many times Dana said 'INCENTIVIZE', but I'll say it again for you

He said that you have to incentivize to keep people moving up

Incentivize

It was literally the point of the entire segment

Incentivize

That way the worker, fighter, builds character while moving up in the rankings. From 10 to 5, from CFO to CEO, etc

Incentivize (KEY WORD)

 

[Herwald]

If I had 37 mill, I'd still probably post on sherdog.

 

[sss133]

I agree on the motivation part. Other sports are fucking tough no doubt but you have an element of control. Fighting you have another dude directly trying to hurt you.

Also Dana doesn’t want fighters just going after money fights and causing a boxing style “build up your resume then we’ll talk” situation. Especially because he has to deal with fighters directly.

All this being said fighters should be paid more

 

[Scheme]

It's a delicate balance of keeping them hungry, but also attracting and retaining talent. That's what is so hard about his job. He has to make the UFC attractive enough for new talent to constantly come, but also can't pay too much money because people don't want to get punched in the face and all the brain damage and injuries associated with it.

 

[Deleted member 585708]

Think you've completely missed the point

Laying out 37 mil on someone's lap, compared to working your way up to 37 mill guaranteed is completely different

I don't know how many times Dana said 'INCENTIVIZE', but I'll say it again for you

He said that you have to incentivize to keep people moving up

Incentivize

It was literally the point of the entire segment

Incentivize

That way the worker, fighter, builds character while moving up in the rankings. From 10 to 5, from CFO to CEO, etc

Incentivize (KEY WORD)

So these incentives that are so important... are we talking wall charts where fights get stickers for being in good fights, or are we talking paying them money?

Because if it's the latter, they're already incentivised no matter how much you're paying them....

 

[HeffDoesWant]

Give a minimum wage worker a big pay day and suddenly minimum wage ain't so attractive anymore.

The only thing more depressing than being under paid is being exploited.
The fighters know that the money us being made but they just aren't seeing it.

 

[Busgosu]

If promoters weren't earning $ in the millions they would probably be doing their job and promote the fighters

 

[HHJ]

If I had 37 mill, I'd still probably post on sherdog.

Posting on sherdog is easy. Getting kneed in the face,not so much.

 

[HHJ]

If promoters weren't earning $ in the millions they would probably would be doing their job and promote the fighters

You cant create stars,only augment what already has the crowd's interest,and hope they dont fuck it up.

Also if Dana wasnt a workaholic,they would find someone else to do his job.

 

[Busgosu]

You cant create stars,only augment what already has the crowd's interest, and hope they dont fuck it up."
.

Yeah, and in their eyes "fucking up" means standing up for themselves in topics like fighter pay and this justifies promoters throwing stars and potential stars under the bus.

 

[HHJ]

Yeah, and in their eyes "fucking up" means standing up for themselves in topics like fighter pay and this justifies promoters throwing stars and potential stars under the bus.

Well ok but thats not really what I meant.

I mean more like Jon Jones,who cant even go a day after the Hall of Fame induction without fucking up. 1 step forward,3 steps back.