It’s fair to say bantamweight superstar Sean O’Malley was not impressed with the news that the UFC would be increasing pay-per-view prices.
It was recently revealed that the cost of UFC pay-per-view events would now increase from $69.99 to $74.99. The price change will come into effect with the UFC 270 pay-per-view event taking place January 22.
The move comes after the UFC initially increased their price from $59.99 to $64.99 before increasing it further to $69.99.
Naturally, this didn’t go down so well for many in the combat sports world, most of all with the UFC fans who buy these events every month.
O’Malley was also not a fan of the news.
Sean O’Malley Questions UFC President Dana White
“Sugar” — who has long maintained that he wouldn’t fight ranked opponents or five rounds unless he was paid much more — proceeded to question UFC president Dana White’s reasoning behind the price increase.
“Dana White raises pay-per-view by five dollars,” O’Malley said on a recent episode of his podcast (via BJ Penn). “What the hell are we doing here, Dana?”
It’s a fair question given how White has repeatedly boasted of the UFC continuing to rake in record profits and breaking records every year. All while fighter pay has remained the same as well as a topic of contention for the UFC head honcho.
And for what it’s worth, O’Malley doesn’t believe this will have any effect on the current level of fighter pay. But he didn’t rule it out completely either.
“No, I doubt it,” O’Malley added when asked if this could raise fighter pay. “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.”
Of course, for many fans, this news will have zero effect as illegal streaming still remains strong as ever with a good portion of the fanbase. That is, until White ramps up his anti-stream team.
