At a press conference promoting her upcoming MMA fight against Gina Carano, former UFC champion Ronda Rousey expressed surprise at Dana White's continued involvement with the organization and sharply criticized its parent company, TKO Group, for prioritizing greed over fighter welfare. Rousey highlighted the UFC's new $7.7 billion deal with Paramount and argued that it should lead to better pay for athletes. She described the UFC as now one of the worst places for fighters to earn a living.
Ronda Rousey, speaking at a media scrum in Inglewood, California, on Tuesday, gave UFC CEO Dana White the benefit of the doubt regarding recent questions about his passion for mixed martial arts. Rousey, who left the UFC after 2016 following losses to Holly Holm and Amanda Nunes, noted White's involvement in other ventures like Power Slap and Zuffa Boxing. "I think it's kind of both, that it's out of his hands," Rousey said, comparing the situation to George Lucas selling his creation. She added, "I'm surprised he's still doing it."
The comments came while promoting Rousey's return to MMA against Gina Carano on May 16 under Jake Paul's Most Valuable Promotions banner for Netflix. Rousey had proposed the bout to White as the final pay-per-view event before the UFC's shift to a new streaming deal with Paramount, which ended the traditional PPV model. White suggested New Year's Day, but Carano, who has not fought since 2009 and holds a 7-1 record, needed more preparation time. "I think that was fate," Rousey stated.
Rousey directed stronger criticism at TKO Group, the UFC's parent company, accusing it of greed over stewardship. She said White is "legally beholden to the shareholders and to maximize shareholder value," and that TKO has taken control away from him. "It used to be that the UFC was the best place that you could come in combat sports to make a living and be paid fairly, and now it’s no longer, it’s one of the worst places to go," Rousey remarked. She pointed to the UFC's seven-year, $7.7 billion Paramount deal, arguing, "This company just got $7.7 billion. Like, there’s no reason that they can’t afford to pay their athletes at least a living wage."
Rousey cited examples like champion Valentina Shevchenko selling content on OnlyFans and many fighters living in poverty despite full-time commitment. At 39 with a 12-2 record, Rousey warned that the UFC is "bleeding talent because of their short-term greed," as athletes seek better pay elsewhere.
