The UFC has hit back at the ABC regarding its latest episode of Four Corners, which targeted the mixed martial arts promotion.
The episode, which aired on Monday night (June 9th), saw reporter Mahmood Fazal speak to a number of former fighters and coaches like Tyson Pedro, Bec Rawlings, John Donehue, and Nate Quarry about a “culture of exploitation, secrecy, and lasting damage” with “evidence [suggesting that] the company has kept wages low, limited competition, and left fighters with few options.”
In a statement given to Rolling Stone AU/NZ prior to the airing of the episode, the UFC slammed the Four Corners investigation.
“UFC has spent many years and invested billions of dollars building the sport of mixed martial arts and fueling a global industry that has benefited thousands of athletes. UFC pays its fighters more than any other MMA promotion and has created countless opportunities for athletes to achieve success with UFC or with competing promotions.
“The market for mixed martial arts has never been healthier or more competitive as evidenced by the rise of well-financed competitors and the success of former UFC athletes in other organisations,” the statement reads.
“Furthermore, by working tirelessly for more than two decades to legitimise MMA and embracing regulation, UFC has become the gold standard for athlete health and safety in all of combat sports. From partnering with the Cleveland Clinic on brain health research; to creating the most effective and progressive anti-doping program in professional sports; to establishing the UFC Performance Institute to provide nutrition, physical therapy, and safe training strategies for athletes; UFC has continually reviewed and strengthened our health and safety protocols to protect the athletes who compete in the Octagon.
“Any assertion to the contrary is not supported by the facts.”
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Current Welterweight champion and Australian fighter Jack Della Maddalena also appeared in last night’s episode, but he was not critical of the organisation.
It comes after New South Wales Premier Chris Minns was called to cut ties with the UFC following a string of controversies when the company was hosting its UFC 312 pay-per-view event in Sydney this past February.
In the lead-up to the card, fighter Sean Strickland called Australia “communist” and slammed the country’s “pathetic” gun laws, while boss Dana White later blasted the Australian media at the official post-event press conference.
In particular, White took exception to a Sydney Morning Herald editor who wrote that Minns appearing on Mark Bouris’ podcast with the UFC CEO “made me feel physically sick.”
“Listen for a place that is so tough – everything on land and in the water can kill you – you have the biggest pussies I’ve ever seen in the media in my life,” White said.
“I saw a story where a guy was like, ‘I saw Dana do a podcast with the premier and it physically made me sick.’ Holy fucking shit. You guys have to have the biggest pussies of all time in the media here.”
Despite this, the UFC is scheduled to return to Australia later this year, while the West Australian Government announced a new deal with the company in March that will see the UFC head back to Perth in 2026.
The UFC told Rolling Stone AU/NZ: “We are grateful to the more than 4 million fans in Australia who have supported our events in record numbers. Six Australian cities have hosted UFC events over the past 15 years – Sydney, Gold Coast, Brisbane, Adelaide, Melbourne and Perth – and the result has been hundreds of millions of dollars in economic impact to the surrounding regions.
“We are also grateful to the governments of New South Wales and Western Australia for their continued commitment to welcoming UFC to their communities. We look forward to returning to Australia later this year with an exciting event in Perth and delivering another thrilling UFC experience for our fans.”
