"And the fighters don’t see a cent of it" - Enraged fans hit out at number of ads on the octagon floor ruining iconic UFC photos

UFC 290 wrapped up this past Saturday, and it was one of the most thrilling events that the promotion has helmed this year, thus far. It featured more finishes than not, and the bouts that didn't end with a knockout or submission were hotly contested, action-packed wars, at least on the main card.

However, not everything about the event was well-received by fans. The promotion has been under heavy scrutiny due to its pay structure, one that guarantees a very uneven revenue split in the promotion's favor. Part of what causes fighters to be underpaid is the lack of sponsorship money they now get.

While fighters are allowed to have their own sponsors outside of the cage, they're not allowed to have sponsors on any article of clothing in the cage or at any UFC event like press conferences. This has led to fans on Reddit hitting out at the promotion due to the large number of sponsorship ads on the mat at UFC 290.

One fan wrote,

"I love how they can mark up their cage floor with ads yet so unwilling to let their own fighters do it."

Another fan sarcastically said in mockery of how often Jon Anik is forced to plug in ads,

"Don't forget to try the new blood knight class in Diablo Immortal."

"And the fighters don’t see a cent of it," a fan commented, highlighting the hypocrisy of the situation.

One fan even brought up Dana White's old argument that he was trying to make UFC fighters look professional,

"But it looks tacky on the fighters according to Uncle Scrooge McDuck Dana."

A collage of comments can be seen below:

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What has Dana White said about the UFC's pay structure?

Dana White is one of the most outspoken figures in MMA. He is known for taking aim at other promoters and even entire sports, having recently claimed that one of the causes behind boxing's decline is its focus on gimmick fights, even once using it to criticize Francis Ngannou's boxing dreams.

However, he often reacts with hostility when questioned about his own promotion, especially its pay structure. He has been adamant about not increasing fighter pay, infamously describing a contract with the promotion as an opportunity, as opposed to a career.