Dana White Exposed: Biased UFC Bonuses & Rankings?
The conversation around Dana White UFC favoritism is no longer a theory — it’s a growing concern backed by patterns, fighter frustrations, and 2025 data. UFC’s global success is undeniable, but behind the spectacle lies an unsettling truth: Some fighters are pushed to stardom while others are systematically ignored, regardless of their performance.
From bonus bias to suspicious ranking shifts, Dana White’s influence appears to play a central role in who rises, who stagnates, and who fades away. This blog takes a hard look at how favoritism affects the UFC, using updated stats and real-world examples from the past two years.
Dana White UFC Favoritism – What’s the Evidence?
Dana White UFC favoritism is about more than just who gets a title shot — it’s about systemic promotion bias, often driven by marketability, loyalty to the UFC, and public image. While sports should reward merit, the UFC increasingly operates like sports entertainment, pushing the most charismatic over the most qualified.
Key Indicators of Favoritism:
- Undeserved bonuses
- Ignored winning streaks
- Manipulated rankings
Sudden media hype around unproven prospects
UFC Bonus System – Who’s Really Getting Paid?
The Bonus Structure
UFC offers:
- Performance of the Night – $50,000
- Fight of the Night – $50,000 to both fighters
- Discretionary Locker Room Bonuses – Unofficial and untaxed
These should reward performance — but Dana White UFC favoritism determines who actually cashes in.
Updated Bonus Distribution (2023–2025)
| Fighter | Bonus Count (2023–25) | Top 10 Wins | Fan Hype Rank | UFC Push |
| Bo Nickal | 4 | 0 | Very High | ✅ |
| Paddy Pimblett | 5 | 0 | High | ✅ |
| Belal Muhammad | 1 | 5 | Low | ❌ |
| Merab Dvalishvili | 1 | 4 | Low | ❌ |
Despite lackluster opposition, Bo Nickal and Paddy Pimblett are frequent bonus recipients, proving Dana White UFC favoritism at the reward level.
UFC Rankings – Rigged or Real?
UFC claims an “independent media panel” ranks fighters, but the process lacks:
- Transparency
- Qualification standards
- Neutrality
Dana White has the final say on who gets opportunities — meaning rankings are advisory, not binding.
Case Study – 2024-2025 Rankings Shift
Islam Makhachev vs Beneil Dariush vs Arman Tsarukyan
| Fighter | 2024 Record | Top 5 Wins | Ranking Movement | Title Shot Given? |
| Makhachev | 2-0 | Oliveira | 0 | ✅ |
| Dariush | 1-1 | Gamrot | -3 | ❌ |
| Tsarukyan | 3-0 | Dariush, Hooker | 1 | ❌ |
Tsarukyan’s run is stronger than Makhachev’s in terms of current competition, yet the Dagestani champion remains at the top due to White’s consistent promotional push, reinforcing the presence of Dana White UFC favoritism in matchmaking and rankings.
What Fighters Say About UFC Favoritism
More fighters have gone public with complaints about favoritism.
Public Statements
- Belal Muhammad (2024): “I’ve done everything right. But they don’t want me to fight for the belt. Why?”
- Aljamain Sterling (2023): “Even as champion, I never felt like UFC truly supported me.”
- Francis Ngannou (2022-23): “They want you to shut up and fight. That’s the business.”
These quotes are unfiltered testimony to Dana White UFC favoritism. When even champions feel disposable, favoritism isn’t just unfair — it’s dangerous for fighter morale.
Promotional Bias – The WWE-Style Push
Dana White often treats the UFC like WWE: favoring the most sellable fighters over the most deserving ones.
Fighters Favored in 2025
- Bo Nickal: Handpicked matchups, co-main events with just 4 fights
- Paddy Pimblett: Despite injury layoffs and controversial decisions, still promoted
- Sean O’Malley: Title shot with a shallow resume — though now proved worthy
In contrast, Shavkat Rakhmonov and Merab Dvalishvili, both undefeated in UFC, receive no comparable push, exposing the clear presence of Dana White UFC favoritism.
Data Breakdown – Deserving Fighters Being Ignored
Fighters with Strong Records, Low Promotion
| Fighter | UFC Record | Last 5 Opponents | Bonus Count | UFC Push |
| Merab Dvalishvili | 10-1 | Yan, Aldo, Cejudo, Munhoz | 1 | ❌ |
| Belal Muhammad | 9-0-1 | Luque, Burns, Brady, Thompson | 1 | ❌ |
| Arman Tsarukyan | 8-2 | Dariush, Moicano, Ismagulov | 1 | ❌ |
| Paddy Pimblett | 5-0 | Leavitt, Gordon, Ferguson | 5 | ✅ |
The numbers don’t lie. Fighters without the “it” factor — or without Dana’s approval — simply don’t get the same shot.
Is This Business Strategy or Sports Politics?
While some argue Dana is simply doing what’s best for business, others see the favoritism as a betrayal of meritocracy.
Impacts of Dana White UFC Favoritism
- Talented fighters overlooked
- Artificial hype around less-skilled athletes
- Title fights losing credibility
- MMA journalism questioning UFC’s integrity
The Bigger Picture – Is UFC Still a Sport?
In 2025, the UFC resembles sports entertainment more than pure MMA competition.
Dana White UFC favoritism influences:
- Who headlines PPVs
- Who gets fast-tracked
- Who receives media backing
- Who earns the money
UFC favoritism isn’t just about bonuses — it deeply affects matchmaking and title contention. A prime example is the rising tension between Ilia Topuria and Islam Makhachev. While many believe Topuria deserves his shot, others argue he’s been strategically avoiding tougher matchups. Dive deeper into this controversy in our exclusive coverage: Ilia Topuria Ducked Makhachev? The Shocking Truth Revealed.
Conclusion – UFC Favoritism Is Hurting the Sport
There’s no denying that Dana White UFC favoritism is more than just a fan theory. Fighters are vocal, the numbers are clear, and the consequences are deep. When marketing matters more than merit, MMA loses its soul.
For UFC to stay legitimate:
- Rankings must be independent and performance-based
- Bonuses should be earned, not gifted
- Fighters should get title shots based on wins, not likes
Until then, UFC favoritism will continue to erode fighter trust, competitive fairness, and the sport’s authenticity.
